dayung

Dayung is a common term in Indonesian and Malay that refers to a paddle or oar used to propel a boat. In everyday use, dayung denotes the tool itself, while the action of using it is expressed with the verb mendayung, meaning to paddle or row.

In traditional contexts, dayung was usually made of wood, with designs suited to different boat types. Today, paddles can be made from wood, metal, or composite materials, and may vary in length and blade shape depending on the vessel, whether a small canoe, a rowing shell, or a fishing boat.

Beyond its literal meaning, dayung also appears in discussions of boating culture and sport. The term is used to describe rowing activities, collectively known as olahraga dayung in Indonesian, and is practiced in various competitive formats as well as in recreational paddling on rivers and coastal waters.

See also: oar, paddle, perahu dayung, canoe.