gawat

Gawat is a colloquial term used in Indonesian and Malay to describe dangerous or precarious conditions, as well as situations that feel tense or problematic. The core sense is immediacy and risk, but the word can also be used more broadly to denote trouble or awkwardness in social contexts.

In everyday speech, it is attached to nouns or phrases such as situasi gawat (a dangerous or precarious situation) or aku lagi gawat (I’m in trouble). The nuance ranges from physical danger to emotional discomfort or social risk. The term is common in informal conversation, on social media, and in media that adopt a casual tone.

Etymology: The origin of gawat is not well established in formal lexicons; it is native to Malay and Indonesian and has circulated in colloquial use for decades, retaining a similar meaning in both languages.

Notes: Gawat is informal and regional; in formal writing, alternatives such as berbahaya (dangerous), serius (serious), or darurat (emergency) may be preferred.

See also: Indonesian slang; Malay language; colloquial terms in Indonesian.