belakang

Belakang is a native term in Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) and Malay (Bahasa Melayu) that denotes the rear part of something or a position behind something else. In both languages it functions as a noun meaning “the back” or “rear,” an adjective meaning “rear” or “posterior,” and a prepositional element in phrases that express location, most commonly di belakang meaning behind or at the back of. Examples include bagian belakang rumah (the back part of the house) and bagian belakang mobil (the rear of the car). The phrase berdiri di belakang means to stand behind.

In addition to spatial uses, belakang also appears in time-related forms in Indonesian. Belakangan, meaning lately or in recent times, is derived from belakang and used in phrases such as belakangan ini.

In Malay, the equivalent constructions use bahagian belakang or bagian belakang, reflecting regional spelling conventions. The core concept remains the same in both languages: belakang contrasts with depan, which means the front.

Anatomically, when referring to the human back, punggung is more common in everyday speech, while belakang tends to describe the location or part of an object rather than the body.

Etymology and references: Belakang is a native lexeme in Indonesian and Malay, with cognates across both languages. It is listed in major dictionaries such as Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) and Kamus Dewan. See also: depan; di belakang; bahagian (Malay) / bagian (Indonesian); belakangan.