hodoh
/ˈhodoh/
The English word 'ugly' is translated into Malay as hodoh. If unsure, use hodoh. Wiktionary also lists odoh.
Meaning: displeasing to the eye, not aesthetically pleasing (adj)
Ways to say it
| Malay | IPA |
|---|---|
| hodoh | /ˈhodoh/ |
| odoh |
hodoh is an adjective used to describe someone or something that is displeasing to the eye or not aesthetically pleasing. While hodoh specifically refers to physical appearance, you may encounter the synonym buruk, which can mean 'ugly' but also carries the meanings 'bad' or 'worn out' in terms of quality.
How does it change in a sentence?
To modify the intensity of the word, you can add sangat before hodoh to say 'very ugly' or add paling before hodoh to say 'ugliest'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhodoh/
Did you know?
- The word buruk is used in the phrase buruk siku, which literally means 'ugly elbow' but is an idiom for being stingy.
- Because hodoh is so visceral, it is often avoided in polite conversation, whereas tidak cantik ('not beautiful') is the preferred euphemism to maintain social harmony.
- A person described as having muka buruk might not just be 'ugly' but could be perceived as having a 'bad face' in terms of luck or temperament.
Examples in context
- Setiap hari, kanak-kanak di sekolah akan memberitahu saya bahawa saya hodoh dan tiada siapa ingin menjadi kawan saya.Every day, children at school would tell me that I was ugly and that no one wanted to be my friend.Tatoeba #9682953 by imperiex, translation #8962135 by Nylez
- Baju yang lama itu sangat hodoh.That old shirt is very ugly.
- Jangan lukis gambar yang hodoh.Don't draw an ugly picture.
Example conversation
Ahmad and Farah are looking at a bad drawing in a book.
- AhmadLukisan ini nampak sangat hodoh.This drawing looks very ugly.
- FarahYa, warnanya sangat tidak cantik.Yes, the colors are not pretty at all.
- AhmadFarah rasa gambar ini hodoh ke?Does Farah think this picture is ugly?
- FarahMemang hodoh, Ahmad.It really is ugly, Ahmad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ugly” translations and entries hodoh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
