mengapa

Inherited from Malay mengapa, from Proto-Malayic *mAŋ-apa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maŋ-apa. By surface analysis, meng- +‎ apa.

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /məˈŋapa/ [məˈŋa.pa]
• Rhymes: -apa
• Syllabification: me‧nga‧pa

mêngapa

1. why (for what reason)

   Synonym: (informal) kenapa

• “mengapa” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

meng- +‎ apa, from Proto-Malayic *mAŋ-apa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maŋ-apa.

• (Johor-Selangor) IPA^(key): /məŋapə/
• (Riau-Lingga) IPA^(key): /məŋapa/
• Rhymes: -apə, -pə, -ə

mengapa (Jawi spelling مڠاڤ)

1. why (for what reason)
   • 773 AH, Hikayat Bayan Budiman:

     "معاڡا كامو كمارى دں ٮىدک ٮرٮاع ٮرساما ٮماں-ٮمٮمو؟…"

     “... Mengapa kamu kemari dan tidak terbang bersama teman-temanmu?”

     Why have you returned, instead of flying with your peers?

• kenapa

• Indonesian: mengapa

• “mengapa” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.