Lelaki

Lelaki is the standard Malay word for an adult male. It is used in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, and is widely understood across Malay-speaking communities. In everyday language, lelaki can refer to a man in general or to any adult male person.

In Indonesian, the corresponding term is laki-laki or pria; the form lelaki exists but is less common in everyday speech and tends to appear in literary or formal contexts. Within Malay, lelaki is often contrasted with wanita (woman). Colloquial synonyms include jejaka for a young, attractive man, and abang or pak for addressing an older male relative or acquaintance.

Linguistically, Malay has no grammatical gender, so lelaki is not inflected for gender. The phrase seorang lelaki means "a man" and it can be combined with adjectives such as lelaki tua and lelaki muda.

In social contexts, lelaki is a neutral term for adult men but may be accompanied by descriptors or titles depending on formality. In literature and media, the word is used to discuss masculinity, work, family roles, and social expectations within Malay-speaking communities.

See also: Wanita; Pria; Laki-laki; Jejaka.