50 Peribahasa Melayu Every Primary Student Should Know

12 April 2026  ·  Bahasa Melayu Peribahasa UPSR Primary School

Why Peribahasa Matters

Peribahasa — Malay proverbs and sayings — are a cornerstone of Bahasa Melayu education in Malaysian and Singaporean primary schools. They appear in UPSR examinations, comprehension passages, and essay writing tasks. More than just exam material, peribahasa carry centuries of Malay wisdom, offering lessons on character, relationships, and life that remain relevant today.

Students who master peribahasa gain two advantages: they score higher in Bahasa Melayu papers (examiners reward accurate use of proverbs in essays), and they develop a deeper appreciation for Malay culture and heritage. The challenge is that there are hundreds of peribahasa to learn. This guide narrows the list to 50 essential ones, organised by theme to make them easier to remember.

What Are Peribahasa?

Peribahasa are traditional Malay proverbs, sayings, and idiomatic expressions passed down through generations. They use vivid imagery — animals, nature, everyday objects — to convey moral lessons and practical wisdom in a few memorable words. Unlike simpulan bahasa (idioms that describe actions or states), peribahasa are complete sayings that express a full piece of advice or observation about life.

For example, "Sediakan payung sebelum hujan" (prepare your umbrella before it rains) teaches the value of planning ahead. The imagery is concrete and easy to visualise, which is why these sayings have endured for centuries and remain a powerful teaching tool for children.

Group 1: Hard Work & Perseverance

1. Sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit.
   Sedikit demi sedikit usaha yang dilakukan akan membuahkan hasil yang besar. (Little by little, over time it becomes a hill — small, consistent efforts lead to great results.)
2. Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian.
   Bersusah payah dahulu untuk menikmati kesenangan kemudian. (Raft upstream, swim to the shore — endure hardship first to enjoy ease later.)
3. Kalau tidak dipecahkan ruyung, manakan dapat sagunya.
   Tanpa usaha yang gigih, sesuatu kejayaan tidak akan tercapai. (If you don't split the palm trunk, you won't get the sago — no effort, no reward.)
4. Genggam bara api biar sampai jadi arang.
   Bersabar menghadapi kesusahan sehingga berjaya. (Hold the burning coal until it turns to charcoal — persevere through hardship until you succeed.)
5. Belakang parang pun kalau diasah nescaya tajam.
   Orang yang kurang pandai jika rajin berusaha akan berjaya juga. (Even the back of a machete, if sharpened, will become sharp — anyone can succeed with enough effort.)
6. Biar lambat asal selamat.
   Lebih baik melakukan sesuatu dengan perlahan tetapi betul daripada tergopoh-gopoh. (Better slow but safe — it is better to be careful and steady than to rush.)
7. Yang bulat tidak datang bergolek, yang pipih tidak datang melayang.
   Segala sesuatu tidak akan datang dengan sendirinya tanpa usaha. (Round things don't roll to you, flat things don't fly to you — nothing comes without effort.)
8. Di mana ada kemahuan, di situ ada jalan.
   Jika seseorang mempunyai azam yang kuat, pasti akan menemui jalan untuk berjaya. (Where there is a will, there is a way.)
9. Hendak seribu daya, tidak hendak seribu dalih.
   Orang yang ingin berjaya akan mencari cara, manakala orang yang malas akan mencari alasan. (If you want to, you'll find a thousand ways; if you don't, you'll find a thousand excuses.)
10. Masa itu emas.
    Masa sangat berharga dan tidak boleh disia-siakan. (Time is gold — time is precious and should not be wasted.)

Group 2: Family & Relationships

11. Bagai aur dengan tebing.
    Hubungan yang sangat erat dan saling bergantung antara satu sama lain. (Like bamboo and the riverbank — a close, interdependent relationship.)
12. Air dicincang tidak akan putus.
    Hubungan kekeluargaan tidak akan terputus walaupun berlaku perselisihan. (Water, no matter how you chop it, will not break — family bonds cannot be severed.)
13. Berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing.
    Saling membantu dalam segala keadaan, senang mahupun susah. (Heavy loads are carried together, light ones shared — help each other through thick and thin.)
14. Buah jatuh tidak jauh dari pokoknya.
    Sifat anak biasanya menyerupai ibu bapanya. (The fruit falls not far from the tree — children resemble their parents.)
15. Ke mana tumpahnya kuah kalau tidak ke nasi.
    Sifat ibu bapa biasanya diwarisi oleh anak-anak mereka. (Where does the gravy spill if not onto the rice — children inherit their parents' traits.)
16. Bagai isi dengan kuku.
    Hubungan yang sangat rapat dan tidak boleh dipisahkan. (Like flesh and nail — an inseparable bond.)
17. Melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya.
    Mendidik anak-anak hendaklah dari kecil lagi. (Bend the bamboo while it is still a shoot — teach children while they are young.)
18. Bagai pinang dibelah dua.
    Dua orang yang sangat serupa rupa parasnya. (Like a betel nut split in two — two people who look exactly alike.)
19. Anak itik mengikut emaknya.
    Anak-anak biasanya mengikut apa yang dilakukan oleh ibu bapa mereka. (Ducklings follow their mother — children follow their parents' example.)
20. Cubit paha kanan, paha kiri pun rasa sakit.
    Jika seorang ahli keluarga menderita, yang lain turut merasainya. (Pinch the right thigh, the left thigh also feels the pain — when one family member suffers, all feel it.)

Group 3: Wisdom & Character

21. Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya.
    Orang yang sedikit ilmu biasanya suka bercakap besar. (An empty barrel makes the loudest noise — those with little knowledge boast the most.)
22. Ukur baju di badan sendiri.
    Menilai kemampuan diri sendiri sebelum menilai orang lain. (Measure the shirt on your own body — judge yourself before judging others.)
23. Tak kenal maka tak cinta.
    Kita tidak akan menyukai sesuatu jika tidak mengenalinya terlebih dahulu. (If you don't know it, you won't love it — understanding breeds appreciation.)
24. Malu bertanya sesat jalan.
    Jika malu untuk bertanya, kita akan tersesat atau tidak tahu. (If you are too shy to ask, you will lose your way — don't be afraid to seek knowledge.)
25. Biar putih tulang, jangan putih mata.
    Lebih baik mati bermaruah daripada hidup menanggung malu. (Better white bones than white eyes — better to die with honour than live in shame.)
26. Hutang emas boleh dibayar, hutang budi dibawa mati.
    Hutang wang boleh dijelaskan, tetapi budi baik seseorang sukar dibalas. (Gold debts can be repaid, but debts of kindness are carried to the grave — kindness can never be fully repaid.)
27. Seperti kacang lupakan kulit.
    Orang yang melupakan asal usul atau orang yang pernah membantunya. (Like a bean that forgets its shell — someone who forgets their roots or those who helped them.)
28. Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung.
    Kita hendaklah menghormati adat dan budaya tempat yang kita diami. (Where you stand on the earth, there you hold up the sky — respect the customs of the place you live in.)
29. Harimau mati meninggalkan belang, manusia mati meninggalkan nama.
    Manusia akan dikenang melalui jasa dan perbuatannya. (A tiger dies leaving its stripes, a person dies leaving their name — your legacy is what people remember.)
30. Ilmu seperti laut yang tidak pernah surut.
    Ilmu pengetahuan tidak ada batasnya dan tidak akan habis dipelajari. (Knowledge is like the sea that never recedes — knowledge is boundless.)

Group 4: Caution & Consequences

31. Sediakan payung sebelum hujan.
    Membuat persediaan awal sebelum sesuatu perkara berlaku. (Prepare your umbrella before it rains — plan and prepare ahead of time.)
32. Nasi sudah menjadi bubur.
    Sesuatu perkara yang telah berlaku tidak dapat diubah lagi. (The rice has become porridge — what is done cannot be undone.)
33. Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga.
    Sehebat mana pun seseorang, akhirnya akan melakukan kesilapan juga. (No matter how clever the squirrel leaps, it will eventually fall — everyone makes mistakes eventually.)
34. Siapa makan cili, dia yang rasa pedas.
    Orang yang melakukan kesalahan akan menanggung akibatnya sendiri. (Whoever eats the chilli feels the heat — you bear the consequences of your own actions.)
35. Ikut hati mati, ikut rasa binasa.
    Jangan terlalu mengikut perasaan kerana ia boleh membawa keburukan. (Follow your heart and you die, follow your feelings and you perish — don't be ruled by emotion.)
36. Bagai air di daun keladi.
    Orang yang tidak tetap pendirian atau nasihat yang tidak diendahkan. (Like water on a taro leaf — advice that rolls off without effect; a fickle person.)
37. Marahkan nyamuk, kelambu dibakar.
    Kerana marah pada perkara kecil, perkara besar turut musnah. (Angry at the mosquito, you burn the net — overreacting to a small problem destroys something bigger.)
38. Kerana mulut badan binasa.
    Percakapan yang tidak dijaga boleh mendatangkan bahaya kepada diri sendiri. (Because of the mouth, the body is destroyed — careless words bring ruin.)
39. Terlajak perahu boleh diundur, terlajak kata buruk padahnya.
    Perbuatan masih boleh diperbaiki, tetapi kata-kata yang sudah diucapkan sukar ditarik balik. (An overshot boat can be reversed, but words once spoken cause lasting damage.)
40. Pagar makan padi.
    Orang yang diamanahkan menjaga sesuatu tetapi mengkhianati kepercayaan tersebut. (The fence eats the rice — the one entrusted to protect something betrays that trust.)

Group 5: Unity & Cooperation

41. Bersatu teguh, bercerai roboh.
    Kekuatan terletak pada perpaduan; perpecahan membawa kelemahan. (United we stand, divided we fall.)
42. Bulat air kerana pembetung, bulat manusia kerana muafakat.
    Persetujuan dan kerjasama menghasilkan perpaduan dalam masyarakat. (Water is round because of the bamboo pipe, people are united because of consensus — unity comes from agreement.)
43. Muafakat membawa berkat.
    Persetujuan dan kerjasama akan membawa kebaikan kepada semua. (Consensus brings blessings — working together leads to good outcomes.)
44. Bukit sama didaki, lurah sama dituruni.
    Saling membantu dan bersama-sama menghadapi cabaran hidup. (Climb the hills together, descend the valleys together — face life's challenges side by side.)
45. Bertepuk sebelah tangan tidak akan berbunyi.
    Kerjasama memerlukan usaha daripada kedua-dua pihak. (Clapping with one hand makes no sound — cooperation requires effort from both sides.)
46. Ringan sama dijinjing, berat sama dipikul.
    Saling berkongsi tanggungjawab dalam apa jua keadaan. (Light loads shared, heavy loads carried together — share responsibilities in all circumstances.)
47. Hati gajah sama dilapah, hati kuman sama dicecah.
    Berkongsi segala-galanya sama ada banyak atau sedikit. (Share the elephant's heart equally, share the germ's heart equally — share everything, whether plentiful or scarce.)
48. Sebatang kayu jika dibakar tidak akan menyala.
    Seorang yang bersendirian tidak akan mampu mencapai kejayaan tanpa bantuan orang lain. (A single stick, if burned, will not catch fire — one person alone cannot succeed without help.)
49. Bagai menarik rambut dalam tepung, rambut jangan putus tepung jangan berserak.
    Menyelesaikan masalah dengan bijaksana tanpa merugikan mana-mana pihak. (Like pulling a hair from flour — the hair must not break and the flour must not scatter — resolve conflicts wisely without harming either side.)
50. Sambil menyelam minum air.
    Melakukan dua perkara dalam satu masa; memanfaatkan peluang sambil menjalankan tugas. (Drink water while diving — accomplish two things at once; seize an opportunity while doing your duty.)

How to Study Peribahasa

Memorising 50 proverbs can feel overwhelming, but these strategies make it manageable:

• Learn in themes. As organised above, grouping peribahasa by topic (hard work, family, wisdom, caution, unity) gives your brain natural hooks for recall. When you encounter a question about perseverance, your mind immediately pulls up the "hard work" group.
• Understand the imagery. Don't just memorise the words — picture the scene. Why does "genggam bara api" involve holding fire? Because perseverance hurts before it pays off. When students understand the metaphor, they remember the proverb and can explain its meaning in exams.
• Use them in essays. The best way to cement a peribahasa is to use it. In your next Bahasa Melayu karangan (essay), aim to include two or three relevant proverbs. Examiners notice and reward this — it demonstrates both language skill and cultural knowledge.
• Practice with worksheets. Regular testing helps move proverbs from short-term to long-term memory. Match the peribahasa to its meaning, fill in the missing word, or choose the correct proverb for a given situation.

Explore more Bahasa Melayu resources: Visit our Malay worksheets page for a full range of Bahasa Melayu exercises, or read our guide on making spelling practice fun at home for English learners.