menapis

Menapis is a verb found in Malay and Indonesian that means to filter, sieve, or strain a liquid or mixture through a sieve, cloth, or other filter in order to remove solid particles. The action is typically performed to separate solids from liquids or to refine a powder by removing lumps.

Morphology and usage notes: the word is formed with the prefix me- attached to the root tapis. It is an active, transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object—the substance being filtered. The instrument or device used for the action is commonly a penapis or seive. The related noun penapis refers to the filter or sieve itself, while penyaringan or penyaring can also denote filtration or filtering as a process.

Common contexts: penapis is used in cooking, food preparation, and lab work. Examples include filtering tea or broth to remove leaves, sifting flour or other powders to remove lumps, and clarifying juice or soup by straining out solids. In everyday language, sentences such as "Dia menapis teh" or "Dia menapis tepung" illustrate typical usage.

Regional and linguistic notes: while prevalent in both Malay and Indonesian, nuances may vary by region. In Indonesian, the term often coexists with menyaring, another common word for filtration, with menyaring sometimes used for broader filtering or purifying processes, whereas menapis emphasizes passing through a physical sieve or filter.

Related terms: penapis (the filter or sieve), penyaringan (filtration), saringan (screen or sieve).