tertanam

Tertanam is an Indonesian word formed from the verb tanam with the prefix ter-, used as an adjective or a stative verb to indicate something has been planted or embedded, often describing a state rather than the act itself. It can denote a plant that is in the ground or a condition in which something has been placed and remains there.

In agricultural usage, tertanam commonly refers to crops or seeds that have already been planted and are growing in the soil. In practice, ditanam is more frequently used to focus on the action of planting, while tertanam emphasizes the resulting state of the plant or field. For example, a field may be described as tertanam with young rice plants, highlighting the current condition of the crops rather than the act of planting itself.

Beyond agriculture, tertanam is widely used metaphorically to describe values, habits, or ideas that are deeply ingrained or established in a person or a culture. Phrases such as nilai-nilai tertanam dalam diri seseorang or tradisi tertanam dalam masyarakat are common, conveying a sense of resilience and persistence of these traits over time.

Etymologically, tertanam derives from ter- plus tanam, producing a stateful meaning rather than a direct causal action. Its usage contrasts with ditanam, which foregrounds who performed the planting. The term thus reflects Indonesian language patterns for expressing both actions and resultant states.

See also: tanam, ditanam, penanaman, penanaman bibit.