lihatlihat

Lihatlihat is an Indonesian language term formed from the verb lihat, meaning “to see.” In standard spelling the common form is lihat-lihat, a reduplication that conveys repetition, casualness, or a brief, exploratory action. The term is typically used to describe the act of looking around, browsing, or window-shopping rather than a focused, deliberate purchase.

As a verb phrase, lihat-lihat can appear in sentences such as “Saya mau lihat-lihat dulu di toko itu” (I want to take a look around that store first) or “Kamu bisa lihat-lihat katalog online.” The reduplication often signals a casual, exploratory purpose rather than a strict examination or final decision. In some cases, the form tanpa tanda hubung (without the hyphen) such as lihatlihat may appear in informal writing or headlines, though lihat-lihat remains the standard form in most formal or educational contexts.

Regional and usage notes indicate that lihat-lihat is widely understood across Indonesia and in Malay-speaking areas. It is commonly used in everyday speech, retail settings, marketplaces, and online browsing contexts to describe the activity of scanning options before making choices. The concept is closely related to broader linguistic processes of reduplication in Indonesian, where repetition can indicate emphasis, plurality, or habitual action.

See also: Indonesian reduplication, lihat, window-shopping, Malay language.