ulah

Ulah is a term found in Indonesian and Malay that denotes mischief, trouble, or unruly behavior. As a noun, ulah refers to acts perceived as naughty or disruptive, often associated with children or youths, though it can describe any petty disturbance.

In everyday Indonesian usage, the phrase membuat ulah means to cause trouble or to misbehave. The expression can appear in casual speech, storytelling, and media to describe someone who acts out or behaves in a troublesome way. The tone of ulah can range from affectionate teasing to mild disapproval, depending on context and delivery.

Linguistically, ulah is part of the core vocabulary of Indonesian and Malay and reflects social expectations about conduct within family and community settings. Its usage illustrates how everyday behavior is categorized and discussed in these languages, and it often appears in literature, film, and news where juvenile behavior or social norms are relevant topics.

Because ulah primarily describes behavior rather than a specific person, place, or entity, there is no single canonical reference beyond its general meaning of mischief. As with many colloquial terms, its exact nuance is shaped by situational context, tone, and regional variation.