Maling

Maling is a term with multiple meanings in different linguistic contexts. In English-language medical and psychological usage, it is commonly associated with malingering, the deliberate feigning or exaggeration of physical or psychological symptoms for external incentives such as avoiding work, obtaining compensation, or evading duty. Malingering is not a clinical diagnosis in itself but a behavior evaluated in medical, forensic, and legal settings. Clinicians look for inconsistencies between reported symptoms and observable findings, the patient’s past history, collateral information, and sometimes specialized tests or symptom validity assessments. Because malingering involves intentional deception, it raises ethical and legal considerations in treatment, disability determinations, and insurance or employment matters.

In Indonesian and Malay, maling is a common noun meaning thief, and it can also function as a verb meaning to steal. It is widely used in everyday speech, media, and law enforcement reporting. As a noun, an orang maling refers to a person who commits theft; as a verb, maling describes the act of stealing. Phrases such as maling rumah (house theft) or maling motor (motorcycle theft) illustrate its usage. The term carries negative connotations and is part of crime-related vocabulary, with synonyms including pencuri in Indonesian and curi in Malay.

Overall, maling shows how a single spelling can represent distinct concepts: a behavioral term in Western psychology and a criminal term in Southeast Asian languages, underscoring the importance of context and language in meaning.