basa-basi

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˌbasa ˈbasi/ [ˌba.sa ˈba.si]
• Rhymes: -asi
• Syllabification: ba‧sa-ba‧si

Etymology 1

From Malay basa-basi, see below for further details.

Noun

basa-basi (plural basa-basi)

1. chatter, chit-chat (casual talk)
2. (obsolete) manners

   Synonym: sopan santun

Verb

basa-basi

1. (intransitive) to chatter, chit-chat

   Synonym: berbasa-basi

Derived terms

• berbasa-basi

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

basa-basi (plural basa-basi)

1. traditional South Sulawesi trumpet, made of bamboo arranged in double layers

References

• “basa-basi”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Malay

Etymology

From Sanskrit भाषा (bhāṣā) (> basa) + भाषिन् (bhāṣin); similar patterns of pluralizing Sanskrit loans with contrasting gendered endings include putera-puteri ("royal children"), siswa-siswi ("students") etc.

Noun

basa-basi

1. (rare) manners, plural of basa

   Synonyms: sopan santun, adab-adab

Further reading

• "basa-basi" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017
  (also see "basa-basi" at PRPM first version)