Badan

Badan is a common term in Indonesian and Malay that can refer to both the physical body and to an organized entity. In everyday language, the primary sense is the body’s physical form: the whole organism, including limbs, organs, and tissues. In physiology and medicine, the body is studied as a complex system of cells, tissues, and organs—such as the circulatory, digestive, and nervous systems—that work to maintain homeostasis and enable movement, growth, and sensation.

A second broad sense is organizational or institutional. In this use, badan denotes a formal body or agency within government, business, or civil society. Such bodies have defined responsibilities, rules, and authority. Examples include government agencies named as “Badan …” (for instance, Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana, the National Disaster Management Agency; Badan Intelijen Negara, the National Intelligence Agency) and legal entities described as “badan hukum” or “badan usaha.” The term emphasizes the collective nature of the organization, rather than any single person.

In combination with other words, badan forms compound terms that specify function or status, such as badan hukum (legal entity), badan usaha (business entity), or badan persatuan (organization body).

Overall, badan is a versatile word in Indonesian and Malay, with cognates and similar usage across the region, meaning either the physical body or a formal organizational body, depending on context.