bilas

Bilas is a term used in several Austronesian languages, particularly Tagalog (Filipino) and Malay/Indonesian, that generally denotes the act of rinsing or washing with water. It can function as a verb or a noun, depending on the language context.

In Tagalog, bilas is a verb meaning to rinse or wash something thoroughly, often to remove surface starch or impurities. It is commonly found in cooking instructions, such as bilas ng kanin, which refers to washing rice before cooking.

In Indonesian and Malay, bilas is a common verb meaning to rinse or wash with water. The related noun bilasan refers to the rinse water or the act of rinsing itself. This usage covers tasks such as membilas beras (rinsing rice), membilas sayur (rinsing vegetables), or membilas rambut (rinsing hair).

The term’s exact nuance can vary by dialect and region, but the core concept remains the same: applying water to remove unwanted substances from food, materials, or body surfaces. Bilas is therefore a practical term in everyday language and appears in regional recipes, hygiene instructions, and household tasks.