Merayap

Merayap is an Indonesian verb meaning to move slowly by crawling or creeping along a surface, or to spread gradually and stealthily. The term is used in both literal and figurative contexts to describe slow, ground-hugging movement or gradual expansion.

In literal usage, merayap describes the movement of small creatures or objects that glide or crawl along a surface. For example, a snake or insect can merayap across the ground, and vines or creeping plants can merayap up a wall or tree trunks. It is common to pair merayap with adverbs such as perlahan or pelan to emphasize slowness.

Figuratively, merayap is used to convey gradual, often unnoticed spread or encroachment. A disease that merayap ke seluruh wilayah, rumors that merayap through a community, or a policy change that advances step by step are all natural linguistic uses of the term. In journalism and prose, merayap often implies a stealthy or creeping progression rather than a rapid advance.

The word is native to Indonesian and is also understood in Malay-speaking regions with similar meanings. It highlights the idea of movement or influence that progresses slowly, almost without being noticed at first, whether describing physical movement or the spread of phenomena.