abu-abu

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˌabu ˈabu/ [ˌa.bu ˈa.bu]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -abu
• Syllabification: a‧bu-a‧bu

Etymology 1

Reduplication of abu.

Noun

abu-abu (plural abu-abu)

1. grey (colour)

   Synonym: kelabu

2. ash gray

Adjective

abu-abu

1. grey (colour)

   Synonym: kelabu

2. (figurative) grey, vague

Usage notes

abu-abu are more commonly used overall in Indonesian compared to kelabu.

Derived terms

• keabu-abuan
• seabu-abu

See also

Colors in Indonesian · warna (layout · text)

putih	abu-abu, kelabu	hitam
merah; kirmizi	jingga; cokelat, pirang tua	kuning; krem
hijau pupus, hijau limau	hijau	hijau pudina; hijau tua
nilangsuka, sian; hijau laut	biru langit, nilakandi	biru
lembayung; nila	patma; ungu	merah jambu, merah muda

Etymology 2

Inherited from Malay [Term?].

Noun

abu-abu (uncountable)

1. (zoology) longtail tuna, northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus tonggol).

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Dairi Batak [Term?].

Noun

abu-abu (uncountable)

1. food given to animals so that they do not damage plants

Further reading

• “abu-abu”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Malay

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a.bu ʔa.bu]

  • Audio (Malaysia):

    (file)

Etymology 1

Reduplication of abu (“ash”).

Adjective

abu-abu (Jawi spelling ابو٢)

1. (Indonesia) grey (colour)

Synonyms

• kelabu / کلابو (Malaysia, Brunei)
• pirau / ڤيراو

Noun

abu-abu (Jawi spelling ابو٢)

1. (Indonesia) grey (colour)

Etymology 2

From (Western) Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qabu qabu.

Noun

abu-abu (Jawi spelling ابو٢, uncountable)

1. (Jakarta) A kind of fish, Thunnus tonggol

Further reading

• "abu-abu" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017