beliau

Beliau is a polite third-person pronoun used in Malay and Indonesian to refer to a person with respect. It is gender-neutral and is commonly employed in formal contexts to avoid stating the person’s name or gender directly. The word is widely found in official prose, journalism, academic writing, speeches, and ceremonial language, where a respectful tone is required.

In everyday speech, beliu is less common; speakers often use names, titles, or the pronoun dia (he/she) in casual conversation. In formal writing and media, beliau is preferred for public figures, elders, leaders, and professionals when the speaker or author wishes to show deference. It can be used to refer to a single individual or, with the repetition belia belia, to refer to multiple respected persons. The pronoun can appear at the beginning of a sentence, or before verbs and predicates, as in Beliau menjabat sebagai presiden. Beliau juga sering digunakan tanpa menambahkan gelar, maupun bersama gelar seperti Yang Mulia or Yang Berhormat in appropriate contexts.

Overall, beliau functions as a courteous alternative to ia or dia in formal discourse, signaling respect and formality toward the person being mentioned.