tetesan

Tetesan is an Indonesian noun that refers to a small amount of liquid that has fallen or is falling, typically a single drop or a small stream of droplets. The term covers drops of water, rain, blood, medicine, or other liquids, and it is used in both literal and figurative contexts. Common phrases include tetesan air, tetesan peluh, and tetesan darah. Metaphorically, tetesan can describe a minor or partial presence of something, as in tetesan harapan or tetesan kebaikan, where the word conveys a faint or occasional occurrence.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from the root tetes, meaning drop, with the nominal suffix -an, which is a productive pattern in Indonesian to create abstract or collective nouns. It belongs to standard Indonesian and is widely used in various regions. Indonesian does not mark plurality on tetesan; quantity is indicated using numerals or measure phrases (several tetesan, dua tetes, etc.).

Usage and nuance: Tetesan often emphasizes the smallness or precision of a drop, as in describing weather phenomena (tetesan hujan), bodily fluids (tetesan darah), or medicinal applications (tetesan obat). In literature and everyday speech, it can convey delicacy, fragility, or incremental change, depending on the context.

See also: tetes, tetes air, tetesan darah.