sepele

Sepele is an adjective in Indonesian and Malay that means trivial or insignificant. It is used to describe things, issues, or tasks that are considered of low importance, often suggesting they can be overlooked or dealt with quickly. The term is common in both spoken and written language.

Etymology and usage: Sepele originates in Indonesian and Malay vocabularies and has entered everyday usage without a single, fixed origin. It is employed across formal and informal registers. The expression tidak sepele indicates that something is not trivial or should be taken seriously. A common collocation is masalah sepele, meaning a minor problem.

Nuance and synonyms: Sepele conveys a sense of smallness in importance rather than physical size. It can contrast with words like penting (important), berat (weighty), or besar (big). Synonyms include remeh or kecil when discussing magnitude; however, remeh can carry a slightly more dismissive tone, while sepele is often more neutral but still implies limited significance.

Usage examples: "Permasalahan ini sepele dan bisa diselesaikan dengan cepat." "Jangan menganggap enteng masalah sepele; kadang dampaknya bisa bertambah." In usage, sepele is common in everyday speech, journalism, and literature as a way to downplay minor matters without denying their potential impact.

See also: Remeh, Penting, Kecil.