ringan

Ringan is an adjective used in Indonesian and Malay to describe lightness in weight or a lack of heaviness. It also carries meanings related to ease, simplicity, or mildness in non-physical contexts. The term is widely used in everyday speech and writing.

In physical terms, ringan describes objects that do not weigh much, such as a tas ringan (a light bag) or kertas ringan (lightweight paper). It also appears in common phrases like makanan ringan (snack) and minuman ringan (soft drink). In medical or evaluative contexts, ringAn can indicate mildness or low severity, for example demam ringan (mild fever) or batuk ringan (mild cough).

Metaphorically, ringan can refer to ease of understanding or accessibility, as in bahasa yang ringan (language that is easy to understand) or tulisan yang ringan (easy-to-read writing). It can also describe topics or activities that are casual, non-serious, or not demanding, such as sebuah topik yang ringan. The word often contrasts with berat (heavy), highlighting a sense of gentleness, simplicity, or lack of intensity.

Etymology of ringan traces to native Malayic vocabulary shared by Indonesian and Malay, generally linked to the idea of not being heavy. It is a productive term in both languages, with multiple collocations across everyday speech and formal writing.