tokoh

Tokoh is a word in Indonesian and Malay that means a person or figure, especially a character in a story or a notable person in public life. In everyday language, tokoh refers to any individual, but it is commonly used to indicate prominence, so English equivalents might be figure or character.

In literature and film, tokoh is frequently used with qualifiers to indicate roles: tokoh utama for the principal character, tokoh antagonis for the villain, and tokoh pendukung for supporting characters. In journalism and public discourse, tokoh can denote a public figure or notable individual, such as tokoh masyarakat or tokoh nasional, who is recognized for leadership, achievements, or influence in a given field.

The term is neutral and widely used across formal and informal registers. It is not a proper noun; it functions as a common noun that can be combined with other words to convey precise meaning. Related expressions describe different kinds of tokoh, including tokoh adat for traditional community leaders and tokoh agama for religious figures. In narrative analysis and media coverage, tokoh helps describe roles and prominence without naming specific individuals, supporting concise characterization of people and characters.