gadis cantik
/ˈɡadis ˈt͡ʃantik/word by word
The English phrase "beautiful girl" is translated into Indonesian as gadis cantik.
gadis cantik refers to a young woman who is physically attractive. You can also use gadis manis to convey a sense of sweetness along with beauty.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of gadis (girl) and cantik (beautiful), following the Indonesian grammar rule where the adjective follows the noun.
Which one should you use?
gadis cantik specifically refers to a young girl or maiden. In contrast, perempuan cantik is a more general term used for a beautiful woman of any age.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the adjective follows the noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡadis ˈtʃantik/
Did you know?
- The word cantik likely originates from the Javanese word canthik, which referred to the 'stem or beak of a ship'.
- In certain traditional Indonesian contexts, praising a young woman as cantik too directly can be seen as overly forward or flirtatious.
- The word gadis can sometimes imply a woman who is unmarried, acting as a synonym for 'maiden' or 'bachelorette'.
Examples in context
- Selamat pagi, Bapak. Saya ingin mengenalkan gadis cantik ini, Michelle.Good morning, Sir. I would like to introduce this beautiful girl, Michelle.
- Selamat malam, Ibu. Anak perempuan yang cantik ini adalah putri saya, Amanda.Good evening, Ma'am. This beautiful girl is my daughter, Amanda.
- Hai teman-teman, ini dia cewek cantik yang baru saja saya temui di acara tersebut!Hey guys, this is the beautiful girl I just met at the event!
- Halo, Bro. Apa kabar? Kamu masih pacaran dengan gadis manis itu, kan?Hey, dude. How are you? Are you still dating that sweet girl?
- Dia adalah seorang gadis cantik.She is a beautiful girl.
- Gadis cantik itu sedang membaca buku.That beautiful girl is reading a book.
- Saya melihat seorang gadis cantik di taman.I saw a beautiful girl in the park.
Example conversation
Adi and Putri are walking in a park.
- PutriSiapa gadis cantik yang itu?Who is that beautiful girl?
- AdiItu adalah sepupu saya, Adi.That is my cousin, Adi.
- PutriWah, dia sangat anggun.Wow, she is very elegant.
- AdiYa, dia memang gadis cantik.Yes, she is indeed a beautiful girl.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (gadis, cantik) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cantik, gadis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
