pukul

Pukul is a word used in Indonesian and Malay with several related meanings that revolve around the idea of striking or hitting. It functions as a verb, a noun, and as part of time-telling expressions, and it appears in various typical phrases and compound forms.

As a verb, memukul means to hit or strike with a hand or instrument. It can refer to physical blows, beating or pounding something, or the act of striking a musical instrument. It is also used in contexts such as knocking on a door or beating ingredients in cooking. For example, memukul pintu untuk masuk means to knock on the door, memukul bola berarti hitting the ball, and memukul telur berarti beating eggs.

As a noun, pukul denotes a blow or hit, and in sports or combat contexts the related form pukulan refers to a punch or a strike. Pukulan can describe a single blow or a sequence of hits, depending on the phrasing.

As a time expression, pukul is used to indicate the hour. When placed before a number, it means “o’clock,” as in pukul delapan (eight o’clock) or pukul sembilan malam (nine o’clock in the evening). This usage is common in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei for specifying time in everyday language.

Etymology and related forms: the term derives from a root meaning to strike, and it gives rise to related words such as pukulan (a blow or punch) and pemukul (a person or thing that strikes, or a batter). The exact sense is determined by context, with verb, noun, and time-telling uses commonly distinguished in ordinary speech.