Malay Measure Words: Orang, Ekor, Buah and Biji

In Malay, you cannot always say "three book". After a number, many nouns take a measure word, called penjodoh bilangan. English does something similar with "three slices of bread".

The pattern

number + measure word + noun

• tiga orang murid — three students
• dua ekor kucing — two cats
• lima buah buku — five books

Common measure words

Measure word	Used for	Example
orang	people	empat orang kawan — four friends
ekor	animals, fish, birds	seekor ikan — one fish
buah	large or general objects: houses, cars, books	sebuah rumah — a house
biji	small round items: eggs, fruit, marbles	dua biji telur — two eggs
batang	long thin things: pens, trees, cigarettes	sebatang pen — a pen
helai	thin flat things: paper, clothes	tiga helai kertas — three sheets of paper
keping	flat pieces: biscuits, coins	sekeping biskut — a biscuit
pasang	pairs	sepasang kasut — a pair of shoes
kuntum	flowers	sekuntum bunga — a flower

The prefix se-

For "one", the prefix se- attaches to the measure word: seorang, seekor, sebuah, sebiji.

When you can skip them

Measure words are often dropped in casual speech:

• Saya ada dua kucing. — I have two cats.

Using the right measure word makes your Malay sound more natural and correct.

Tips for learning

1. Learn orang, ekor and buah first.
2. Use buah as a general default for objects if unsure.
3. Learn measure words with the noun you first meet.

Common mistakes

• Using orang for animals.
• Forgetting se- for "one".

Look up any word with English Malay Dictionary →