pecah

Pecah is a common word in Indonesian and Malay with multiple related meanings centered on rupture and separation. As a verb, it means to break, crack, split, or shatter something, often describing a transition from a single object to pieces. As an adjective, pecah describes something that is broken or damaged, such as a cracked or shattered item.

In everyday use, pecah appears in phrases such as kaca pecah (cracked glass), piring pecah (a broken plate), and pecahkan telurnya (crack the eggs). The word also forms important compounds and idioms. Memecah belah means to divide or sow discord among people, and pecah belah can refer to social fragmentation or a schism. The related noun pecahan refers to a fragment or piece, and in mathematics pecahan means a fraction.

Usage notes and nuances: pecah generally conveys a sense of complete rupture or separation, whereas retak is often used for a crack that may not separate into pieces, and patah emphasizes breakage or loss of integrity. Robek denotes torn or ripped rather than cleanly broken. In many contexts, pecah can be used literally or metaphorically, with regional and stylistic variations between Indonesian and Malay speakers.

See also: pecahan, perpecahan, memecah belah.