comel
/ˈt͡ʃomel/
The English word "cute" is translated into Malay as comel.
The word is used to describe someone or something that is attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
Which one should you use?
While comel is the standard term, the slang Chumel is used specifically to emphasize that something is super cute.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that something is "very cute", you can place the word sangat before comel to form sangat comel. If you wish to use the noun form to say "cuteness", use kecomelan.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃomel/
Did you know?
- In some contexts, comel can be used ironically to describe a small but stubborn person or a 'cute' mistake that is actually annoying.
- The noun kecomelan, meaning 'cuteness', is formed by wrapping the adjective comel in a circumfix, which is a single linguistic tool that adds both a prefix and a suffix.
- While comel is the standard word for 'cute', Malay speakers often use manis, which literally means 'sweet', to describe a charming or cute smile.
Examples in context
- Kucing itu sangat comel.That cat is very cute.
- Budak kecil itu nampak comel.That little boy looks cute.
Example conversation
Muhammad and Farah are looking at a photo of a puppy.
- MuhammadTengok anjing kecil ini!Look at this little dog!
- FarahWah, comelnya!Wow, it's so cute!
- MuhammadSaya mahu beli satu.I want to buy one.
- FarahBoleh, tapi kena jaga betul-betul.You can, but you must take good care of it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry comel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
