hitam

Hitam is a term used in Indonesian and Malay to denote the color black. It functions as an adjective, used to describe objects, animals, or hair color, and as a noun referring to the color itself. In everyday language, phrases such as baju hitam (a black shirt) or kuda itu berwarna hitam (the horse is black) are common. The word features in color expressions like hitam pekat (deep black) and hitam legam (pitch black).

Linguistically, hitam is native to Malayic languages and has cognates across related Austronesian languages. It forms part of color terminology and can appear in verb formations such as menghitamkan, meaning to darken or to blacken, and in compounds that modify other terms with color.

In usage, hitam describes not only the appearance of materials and organisms but also contributes to idiomatic and stylistic expressions. It often contrasts with other color terms, particularly putih (white) and merah (red), and appears in common descriptors and branding to convey simplicity, formality, or emphasis, depending on context.

Related terms include gelap, a broader term for darkness or dimness, and other color words in Indonesian and Malay. Hitam also appears in various compound phrases and cultural expressions across the Malay-speaking world, reflecting its essential role in color vocabulary. See also: black (color) in Indonesian and Malay; hitam-putih as a common pairing.