tebu
/təˈbu/
The English phrase "sugar cane" is tebu in Indonesian.
tebu refers to the species of grass whose sap is a source of sugar.
Meaning: species of grass whose sap is a source of sugar (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/təˈbu/
Did you know?
- In Indonesia, tebu is frequently sold as a street drink called es tebu. Instead of being processed into crystals, the cane is crushed raw and served cold with a squeeze of lime.
- Some regional Indonesian ceremonies use tebu as a ritual offering to symbolize a sweet and prosperous life for the couple or the household.
- The word tebu is a linguistic fossil that traces back to the Proto-Austronesian word *təbuS. This means the word was used by ancestors of Indonesians thousands of years before they migrated across the Pacific.
Examples in context
- Hasil bumi lainnya termasuk batu bara, kelapa, tebu, nanas, tembakau, sayuran, sagu, tapioka, kopi, teh, jagung, dan kacang tanah.Other products include coal, coconuts, sugar cane, pineapples, tobacco, vegetables, sago, tapioca, coffee, tea, maize, and groundnuts.This sentence is useful for listing different agricultural products such as tebu.Tatoeba #8543512 by LeeSooHa, translation #8543516 by LeeSooHa
- Tebu adalah komoditas penting dalam industri gula di Indonesia.Sugar cane is an important commodity in the sugar industry in Indonesia.
- Petani itu sedang menanam tebu.The farmer is planting sugar cane.
- Batang tebu ini sangat manis.This sugar cane stalk is very sweet.
Example conversation
At a local traditional market.
- IndahApakah tebu ini masih segar?Is this sugar cane still fresh?
- RianIya, tebu ini baru dipanen.Yes, this sugar cane was just harvested.
- IndahBerapa harga satu batang tebu?How much is one stalk of sugar cane?
- RianHarganya lima ribu rupiah saja.It is only five thousand rupiah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sugar cane” translations and entries tebu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tebu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
