Bengawan

Bengawan is an Indonesian word that literally means river. In Indonesian usage, the term appears in geographic names and is sometimes used poetically to refer to rivers in general.

Bengawan Solo, commonly referred to as Bengawan Solo or simply Bengawan, denotes the Solo River, a major river on the island of Java. It originates in the central highlands, flows through Central Java, and empties into the Java Sea. The river's basin supports agriculture and settlements and has played a significant role in Java's history and development.

Bengawan Solo is also the title of a famous Indonesian song composed by Gesang Martohartono in 1940. Written in Javanese, it gained widespread popularity in Indonesia and abroad during the mid-20th century, and has been performed by numerous artists and featured in various media. The song is widely regarded as one of Indonesia's most enduring popular tunes.

These uses illustrate how Bengawan functions as both a linguistic term and a cultural motif within Indonesian language and culture.