bayangan

Bayangan is an Indonesian noun that primarily means shadow. It refers to the dark shape or outline formed when an opaque object blocks light between a light source and a surface, such as a wall or the ground. A bayangan is distinct from a reflection, as it results from occlusion of light rather than light bouncing back to the observer. The appearance of a bayangan depends on the light source, distance, angle, and the shape of the object; point light sources typically produce crisper shadows, while diffuse lighting yields softer, blurrier bayangan. The color and intensity of a bayangan can be influenced by the ambient environment and the surface on which it falls.

In addition to its physical meaning, bayangan is used metaphorically in Indonesian language and culture. It can denote something that lingers or haunts the mind, such as memories, effects, or influences from the past—expressed in phrases like bayangan masa lalu (the shadow of the past). The term is also employed in literature, cinematography, and photography to convey mood, depth, or symbolic meaning through the presence and manipulation of shadows.

Practically, understanding bayangan involves a basic grasp of light behavior: where the light originates, how it interacts with objects, and how surfaces receive the resulting silhouette. In visual arts and design, controlling bayangan helps define form, contrast, and spatial relationships, contributing to realism or artistic effect. Bayangan remains a common, everyday term for both a physical phenomenon and its broader figurative uses.