menjaga

Menjaga is an Indonesian verb meaning to guard, protect, or take care of someone or something. It is used transitively with a direct object, as in saya menjaga adik saya (I take care of my younger sibling) or petugas keamanan menjaga gedung itu (security personnel guard the building). The sense can cover physical guarding, such as keeping a place secure, as well as caretaking, such as looking after children, the elderly, or one’s health. It can also be used in figurative contexts, for example menjaga rahasia (to keep a secret), menjaga keamanan (to safeguard security), or menjaga tradisi (to preserve tradition).

Form and grammar notes emphasize Indonesian morphology. The verb is formed with the prefix meN- attached to the root jaga. Because the root begins with the consonant j, the prefix harmonizes to menj-, giving the correct form menjaga. The word functions as a standard transitive verb and pairs with a direct object to express who or what is being kept or protected.

Common collocations include menjaga anak, menjaga rahasia, menjaga keamanan, menjaga kesehatan, and menjaga jarak (to keep distance). In everyday life and formal settings alike, menjaga is used to describe duties in security, caregiving, health, and personal or communal preservation. The term thus covers practical actions of protection and care as well as broader responsibilities in social and moral contexts.

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