Menahan

Menahan is a Indonesian verb with several related meanings centered on preventing movement, withholding, or enduring. The word is formed from the root tahan with the prefix meN- and is used in both physical and figurative senses. It can denote restraining someone or something, delaying an action, or withstanding a condition.

Common senses include:

- Physical restraint: to hold back or prevent movement or closure, such as holding a door open or keeping someone from escaping. Example: Dia menahan pintu agar tidak tertutup.

- Detention or arrest: in legal or law enforcement contexts, to detain a person temporarily; the related noun penahanan refers to detention or custody. Example: Polisi menahan tersangka untuk pemeriksaan.

- Withholding or delaying: to withhold or delay payment, information, or goods. Example: Perusahaan menahan pembayaran gaji karena evaluasi internal.

- Endurance or self-control: to endure hunger, thirst, or emotions; to restrain oneself. Phrases include menahan lapar, menahan marah, atau menahan diri.

Usage notes:

Menahan is transitive and typically governs a direct object or a complement such as diri. It is common in everyday Indonesian as well as in formal, administrative, and news language. Related terms include tahan (root noun/adjective), penahanan (detention), and tahanan (detainee).

See also:

Tahanan, Penahanan, Tahan.