babi
/ˈbabi/
The English word "pig" is translated into Malay as babi. Wiktionary also lists khinzir.
Meaning: mammal of family Suidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Malay | IPA |
|---|---|
| babi | /ˈbabi/ |
| khinzir | /ˈxinzir/ /ˈxinze(r)/ |
In Malay, the term refers to the mammal of the family Suidae.
Which one should you use?
babi is the common, everyday term for a pig, whereas khinzir is used when a more formal or polite tone is required.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbabi/
Did you know?
- While babi is the standard word for the animal, it is often used as a highly offensive insult in Malay culture, much like more severe profanities in English.
- The term khinzir is a loanword from Arabic. It is used primarily in religious or legal contexts to maintain a distance from the animal, which is forbidden in Islam.
- The word babi belongs to the ancient Austronesian language family, making it a linguistic relative of similar words found in languages as far away as Madagascar and Hawaii.
Examples in context
- Babi itu hewan yang mempunyai kaki empat dan hidup di peternakan.That pig is a four-legged animal that lives on a farm.
- Seekor babiA pig
- Babi itu suka makan.That pig likes to eat.
- Babi yang besar.The pig that is big.
- Ada seekor babi di dalam hutan.There is a pig in the forest.
- Babi itu sangat besar.That pig is very big.
- Dia sedang memberi makan babi.He is feeding the pig.
Example conversation
Amir and Nur are looking at a picture book about farm animals.
- AmirLihat, ini adalah babi.Look, this is a pig.
- NurBabi itu berwarna merah jambu.That pig is pink.
- AmirYa, ia nampak sangat besar.Yes, it looks very big.
- NurSaya suka melihat haiwan ini.I like looking at these animals.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pig” translations and entries babi, khinzir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
