kaki tangan
See also: kakitangan
Indonesian
Etymology
Compound of kaki (“foot”) + tangan (“hand”).
Noun
kaki tangan (first-person possessive kaki tanganku, second-person possessive kaki tanganmu, third-person possessive kaki tangannya)
- (literally) foot and hand; appendage.
- accomplice, helper
- minion
Usage notes
The word is part of false friends between Standard Malay and Indonesian due to shared etymology. The Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore usage can be seen in Malay kakitangan.
Further reading
- “kaki tangan” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.