The word Brondong might not be the most popular Indonesian slang out there, but you can’t help but wonder what does it mean. The word is popular especially among a gossipy group comprising mostly of older ladies. Let’s find out what this word means and in what situation the word Brondong is being used.
The origin
What does brondong mean? Indonesian slangs usually have meant that stray far from its original translation. Brondong is how people, especially Javanese in the olden time, call popcorn in Indonesia.
Yes, that popping corn snacks people usually eat while watching movies. These days, people would rather not call this tasty snack Brondong. They use the English “popcorn” instead, especially people in big cities.
See more about Javanese slangs here.
examples:
- Ayah, aku ingin beli berondong! (Dad, I want to buy popcorn). Learn how to order food in Indonesia here.
- Banyak bioskop yang juga menjual brondong. (Many cinemas also sell popcorn).
Translation according to the dictionary.
Brondong, or berondong means according to The Great dictionary of Indonesia: “Corn grains fried without oil or with a little oil until they expand and break”.
Berondong is also a verb, meaning “shoot in succession with many bullets”, or “bombard someone with questions or insults. To use the word as a verb, add prefix me- for active verb (memberondong) or di- for a passive verb (diberondong).
examples:
- Musuh memberondong pasukan kemerdekaan dengan peluru tanpa ampun. (The enemy bombards the independence troops with bullets without mercy).
- Para jurnalis memberondong presiden dengan banyak pertanyaan. (Journalist bombard president with many questions).
Brondong meaning as a slang
Now as a slang, brondong means something entirely different. It’s a nickname for a boyfriend, a husband, or a love interest that’s much younger than the woman.Â
Hence this is why brondong is popular among mature ladies. In general, there is still a stigma when a woman is much older than the man in a relationship.
The word brondong was never meant as derogatory. However, in a certain context, Brondong certain to what English speaking people would call “Boy Toy”. The kind of guy women keep for fun only, nothing serious. So it has its connotative meaning too in a certain situation. The reasons for this is because most often, a relationship with a brondong is hard to take to the next level, since the age differences put two people on a different stage of life.
Interestingly enough, there’s no slang word for the older women, or what people call “cougar” in English.
Well, it depends on the woman. Some people would call their spouse brondong to their friends in a joking manner, with no ill intention toward the younger man. In fact it can be some sort of accomplishment to be able to score a guy much younger than you. Brondong is a mere gossip word in this situation.
Examples:
- Bu Rina dapat suami brondong. (Mrs. Rina got a much younger husband).
- Mira lebih suka brondong daripada laki-laki yang seumuran atau lebih tua. (Mira prefers younger men than men with the same age and older men)
Learn more about Indonesian slangs because there are countless for it. Even some of the Indonesian slangs you can possibly hate.