Makhluk

Makhluk is a term used in Indonesian and Malay to mean creature or being. It is commonly understood as anything that exists, especially living beings, and is often used in religious and philosophical contexts as a reference to creatures created by a higher power. The word is generally traced to the Arabic makhluq, meaning “created thing.”

In everyday language, makhluk can refer to living things as a broad category. In biology, the phrase makhluk hidup is used to describe living organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, with distinctions made between living and non-living matter. The term also appears in discussions of ontology and ethics, where makhluk is contrasted with the Creator or with non-created entities.

In Indonesian folklore and popular belief, makhluk halus or spiritual beings are common concepts. Makhluk halus denotes unseen beings such as spirits, jins, or other supernatural entities believed to inhabit the natural world. These notions vary by region and tradition but share the idea of non-material beings interacting with humans or the environment.

The word’s usage therefore spans science, religion, folklore, and everyday speech. Depending on context, makhluk may refer to tangible organisms, the broader category of living beings, or non-physical beings regarded as creatures within cultural or theological frameworks.