sepupu

Sepupu is a kinship term in Indonesian and Malay that designates a cousin—the child of one’s aunt or uncle. The word is gender-neutral and refers to both male and female cousins alike; when gender needs to be specified, one may say sepupu laki-laki or sepupu perempuan. In formal or genealogical contexts, the degrees of cousin-ship are described as sepupu pertama (first cousin), sepupu kedua (second cousin), and so on. Colloquially, speakers also distinguish dekat (close) and jauh (distant) cousins.

In everyday use, sepupu refers to the child of a parent’s sibling. The term is widely used across Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as in Brunei, Singapore, and other Malay-speaking communities, with regional variations in how closely relatives are described or addressed. Common phrases include “sepupu saya” (my cousin) and “pertemuan sepupu” (cousin gathering). When speaking about a relative’s child, speakers might say “anak sepupu” to indicate a cousin’s child, though this usage varies by region and context.

Cultural notes: extended family relationships such as sepupu play a prominent role in many Southeast Asian communities, where gatherings, weddings, and other family events often involve large networks of cousins. The term itself is straightforward and commonly understood, serving as a standard label for a key kinship link within Malay-speaking populations.

See also: family, kinship terms, genealogy.