Dipotong

Dipotong is an Indonesian verb in the passive voice formed from the root potong, meaning to cut. The prefix di- marks the object of the action as the recipient rather than the doer, so dipotong translates roughly as “is cut” or “was cut.” The agent performing the cutting may be introduced with oleh, for example: kertas itu dipotong oleh tukang gunting (that paper is cut by a pair of scissors), or may be omitted when the actor is understood.

Dipotong is used in a range of contexts, including physical cutting, editing, and deductions. Examples include: kain itu dipotong menjadi dua bagian (the cloth is cut into two parts); gaji dipotong (salary is deducted); potongan harga berarti discount, a related noun form. The word can also combine with reduplication to indicate cutting into smaller pieces, as in dipotong-potong (cut into small pieces), or with ke- forms to express various directions of action.

Distinctions with related forms are important. Terpotong is a related passive form that emphasizes a resulting state or accident, as in kabel terpotong (the cable has been cut). Dipotong, by contrast, foregrounds the act of cutting itself. Nouns derived from the verb include potongan (a cut piece or a deduction) and pemotongan (the act or process of cutting, or the amount deducted in a financial context).

In summary, dipotong functions as a versatile Indonesian passive verb for describing something that has been or is being cut, with usage spanning physical, editorial, and financial domains.