arahan

Arahan is a noun used in Malay and Indonesian to refer to an instruction, directive, or guideline issued by an authority. It derives from arah, meaning direction, with the suffix -an forming a nominal that denotes the act or result. The term is common in formal or administrative language and signals that recipients are expected to comply with the directive.

In practice, arahan covers a range from official directives to procedural guidelines. It is commonly found in communications from government bodies, corporations, and educational institutions. The distinction among related terms varies by context: perintah denotes a direct command; petunjuk indicates practical instructions; pedoman refers to broader guidelines. Arahan generally conveys authority and obligation, but its strength can be less coercive than a command, depending on tone and context.

Examples include arahan pemerintah tentang pelaksanaan program, arahan atasan kepada karyawan, and arahan sekolah mengenai protokol keamanan. In Indonesian usage, phrases such as arahan dari pihak berwenang or arahan resmi are also common. Across dialects, arahan functions as a formal instrument to guide behavior, procedures, and compliance within institutions and public authorities.