mak nyah

From Malay mak nyah, a compound word of mak (“mother”) +‎ nyah (“to run from, to transition”).

mak nyah (plural mak nyahs)

1. (Malaysia) A trans woman.

• waria

• maknyah

Compound of mak (“mother”) +‎ nyah (“to run from, to transition”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈmak ˈɲah/ [ˈmaʔ ˈɲah]
• Rhymes: -ah
• Hyphenation: mak nyah

mak nyah (plural mak nyah-mak nyah)

1. (LGBTQ, originally transgender slang) a trans woman

   Synonyms: bapok (derogatory), pondan (possibly derogatory)

   Synonym: transpuan (Indonesia)

• This term is preferred by trans women than the term pondan.
• Not to be confused with mak ngah (“familial term for aunt”).

• → English: mak nyah

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