barat
/ˈbarat/Rumi
In Malay, the English phrase "west" is translated as barat. Wiktionary also lists kulon and maghrib.
Meaning: compass point (noun)
Ways to say it
| Malay | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| barat | /ˈbarat/ | Rumi |
| kulon | [kulon] (narrow) | Rumi |
| maghrib | [maɣ(ə)rep] (narrow) [maɡ(ə)rep] (narrow) |
Rumi |
barat is the standard noun for the compass point west. The phrase orang barat literally means "people of the west", but it is the standard way to refer to Westerners (people from Europe or North America).
Which one should you use?
barat is the standard and most common term for the compass direction west. maghrib is used in formal, religious or literary contexts, often referring to the west in relation to the setting sun.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
maghrib is used in formal or religious contexts. Barat is also a formal way to say "West".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbarat/
Did you know?
- The word kulon is a contraction of the Old Javanese word kahuluan, which is related to the word hulu meaning 'upstream'.
- The word maghrib is not just a direction but is also the name of the Islamic sunset prayer. This creates a linguistic link between the setting sun in the west and the specific time of prayer.
- Because maghrib refers to the setting sun, it is used in literary contexts to evoke themes of endings or the passage of time.
Examples in context
- orang baratpeople of Kelantan (lit. "the west")This sentence is useful for referring to people of Kelantan using the term barat.
- Sebelum menuju ke destinasi, belok ke barat.Before heading towards your destination, turn to the west.
- Warung nasi lemak ni dekat dengan stesen LRT, arah barat laut.This 'nasi lemak' stall is near the LRT station, in the northwest direction.
- Matahari terbenam di arah barat.The sun sets in the west.
- Rumah kami menghadap ke barat.Our house faces west.
Example conversation
Farah and Muhammad are driving to a new location.
- FarahMuhammad, ke arah mana kita harus memandu?Muhammad, which direction should we drive?
- MuhammadKita perlu memandu ke arah barat.We need to drive towards the west.
- FarahAdakah jalan itu jauh dari sini?Is that road far from here?
- MuhammadTidak, ia tidaklah terlalu jauh.No, it is not too far.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “west” translations and entries barat, kulon, maghrib, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries barat, kulon, maghrib, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
