contoh

Contoh is a noun in Indonesian and Malay that denotes an instance used to illustrate or clarify a rule, principle, or statement. It is commonly used in education, writing, and everyday speech to point to a representative case, such as contoh soal (an example question) or contoh kalimat (an example sentence). The word can also appear in compounds and phrases that indicate demonstration or illustration, for instance sebagai contoh (as an example) or contoh kasus (case example). The related verb mencontoh means to imitate or to model after something.

The term belongs to the native vocabulary of the Malay‑Indonesian language family and is widely used across Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. It is suitable for formal and informal contexts, from textbooks and lectures to everyday conversations. Plural or iterative forms such as contoh-contoh are used when referring to multiple examples.

In usage, contoh serves as a vehicle for explanation and teaching. Writers often introduce a contoh to make a concept concrete, while speakers may present contoh to illustrate a point in discussion or argument. Related terms include teladan (a model or exemplar, often with a moral sense) and sampel (a physical specimen or sample in scientific contexts). Overall, contoh functions as a practical linguistic tool for demonstration and clarification in several domains of language use.