Papan

Papan is a common noun in Indonesian and Malay meaning a flat, rectangular piece of material such as wood, plastic, or metal. It serves as a generic term for boards or planks used in construction, packaging, and furniture, and it functions as a base unit in a variety of phrases and compound nouns.

In everyday usage, papan appears in several well-known terms. Papan tulis refers to a chalkboard or whiteboard; papan nama denotes a nameplate or name tag; papan reklame is a billboard or large advertisement board; papan potong means a cutting board; papan lapis means plywood. The word can also be found in phrases describing wooden or composite boards, such as papan kayu (wooden board) or papan plastik (plastic board).

Phonology and orthography vary slightly between Indonesian and Malay, but the form papan is common to both languages. As a focus of material culture, papan appears in architecture, education, and advertising, where boards function as surfaces for writing, display, or support.

Notes and variations in usage often depend on the modifier used with papan, which specifies the material or purpose of the board. The term functions primarily as a generic category rather than a reference to a single specific object, allowing it to cover a wide range of board-like surfaces.