ayam
/ˈajam/
The English word chicken is translated into Indonesian as ayam. Wiktionary also lists manuk.
Meaning: bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| ayam | /ˈajam/ (Standard Indonesian) |
| manuk | /ˈmanuʔ/ (Standard Indonesian) |
The word ayam refers to the bird. In a culinary context, the standard way to say fried chicken is ayam goreng.
Which one should you use?
ayam is the standard form used for chicken, while manuk is a dialectal variation used to refer to birds or chickens.
Is it said differently in some regions?
manuk is a dialectal form used in certain regions, such as parts of Java, to refer to birds or chickens.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈajam/
Did you know?
- The word ayam is a semantic loan from Chinese, where the word for 'chicken' was also used as a slang term for a 'female prostitute'.
- The word ayam is used in the Indonesian idiom ayam sayur, which describes someone who is weak or cowardly.
- Indonesians use the term ayam kampungs to distinguish 'village chickens' from commercially farmed ones, as they are prized for having more flavor.
Examples in context
- Ayam saya ada di siniMy chicken is here.This sentence is useful for locating your ayam.Tatoeba #1106221 by Archangelix, translation #1106209 by atc
- Tom suka ayam goreng.Tom likes fried chicken.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for ayam goreng.Tatoeba #5127507 by Bilmanda, translation #3419589 by Hybrid
- Ayamnya masih belum matang.The chicken is undercooked.This sentence is useful for describing the cooking state of the ayam.Tatoeba #11228470 by Pi31415i, translation #4104549 by Hybrid
- Iya, makan ayam bakar di restoran sebelah. Enak banget!Yes, I had grilled chicken at the nearby restaurant. It was delicious!
- Apa menu makanan ayam yang dapat kami sajikan untuk acara besok?What chicken menu can we serve for tomorrow's event?
- Kami bisa menyediakan ayam goreng dan sop ayam sebagai opsi.We can offer fried chicken and chicken soup as options.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sari and Dimas are walking through a village.
- SariLihat, ada banyak ayam di sana!Look, there are many chickens over there!
- DimasWah, ayam itu warnanya lucu sekali.Wow, that chicken has such a funny color.
- SariApakah kamu mau memberi makan ayam itu?Do you want to feed that chicken?
- DimasBoleh, ayo kita coba.Sure, let's try.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chicken” translations and entries ayam, manuk, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ayam, manuk, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
