A pepatah is a saying passed down through the generations as a guide to life. Its wording is fixed and its meaning has to be learned. “Tak ada gading yang tak retak” — there is no ivory without a crack — reminds us that nobody is perfect.
What your child will learn
- Give the meaning of well-known pepatah
- Complete a saying from memory
- Choose the saying that fits a situation
Wisdom in pictures
Some describe how life goes: “Sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga” (fallen, then hit by the ladder — one misfortune after another), “Ada gula ada semut” (where there is sugar there are ants — people gather where there is gain).
Others advise: “Terlajak perahu boleh diundur, terlajak kata buruk padahnya” (a boat that overshoots can back up; words cannot), “Sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tiada gunanya” (think first; regret later is useless).
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Apakah maksud pepatah “Sehari selembar benang, lama-lama menjadi kain”?
🧵- menjahit itu susah
- kerja yang dibuat dengan sabar akhirnya berhasil
- benang mudah putus
- kain mahal harganya
Show answer
Answer: kerja yang dibuat dengan sabar akhirnya berhasil. Pepatah itu bermaksud kerja yang dibuat dengan sabar akhirnya berhasil.
2. Lengkapkan pepatah: “Sudah jatuh ditimpa ___.”
- hujan
- batu
- tangga
- pokok
Show answer
Answer: tangga. Pepatahnya “Sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga”.
3. Apakah maksud pepatah “Sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga”?
🪜- jatuh dari tempat tinggi
- cepat sembuh daripada sakit
- tangga yang rosak
- ditimpa malang berturut-turut
Show answer
Answer: ditimpa malang berturut-turut. Pepatah itu bermaksud ditimpa malang berturut-turut.
Tips for grown-ups
- Ask grandparents for a pepatah they heard as children.
- Match the day’s events to a saying at dinner.