asu (Indonesian)
Where does "asu" come from?
The Indonesian interjection "asu" originated from the Proto-Austronesian word for "dog." Over time, the term was inherited by Old Javanese and Javanese, where it eventually shifted from its literal zoological meaning into a harsh obscenity used to express dismay or discontent.
Full etymology tree
- asu (Indonesian), 'fuck, shit (expressing dismay or discontent)'
- borrowed asu (asu) (Javanese), 'romanization of ꦲꦱꦸ'
- inherited asu (Old Javanese), 'dog'
- inherited *asu (Proto-Malayo-Polynesian), 'dog (animal)'
- inherited *asu (Proto-Austronesian), 'dog (animal)'
- inherited *asu (Proto-Malayo-Polynesian), 'dog (animal)'
- inherited asu (Old Javanese), 'dog'
- borrowed asu (asu) (Javanese), 'romanization of ꦲꦱꦸ'
Ancestors
- ꦲꦱꦸ (Javanese)
- asu (Old Javanese)
- *asu (Proto-Malayo-Polynesian)
- *asu (Proto-Austronesian)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris