Pencak silat words · Beginner
The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.
B · Beginner · 30 words · Step 1 of 2General terms
Pencak silat
A martial art and sport of the Malay world. International competitions are held in a spirit of brotherhood and chivalry, using its elements of self-defence, art and sport. The 2026 rules have two categories: tanding (the match) and jurus (the forms: tunggal, tunggal bebas, ganda and regu).
See also: Jurus, Tanding, Tunggal, Tunggal bebas, Ganda
Pesilat
A competitor or practitioner of pencak silat. Putra means male and putri female in category names.
See also: Pencak silat
Sikap pasang
The on-guard stance, where every attack or defence starts and ends. A pesilat knocked down who cannot stand upright in it after a count of ten loses by absolute win.
Also called: On-guard stance
See also: Pesilat, Absolute win
Pola langkah
The step pattern, the second part of kaidah, used to close or keep distance before attacking or defending.
Also called: Step pattern
See also: Kaidah
Jurus
A set sequence of pencak silat movements, and the name of the artistic category. Tunggal and regu routines are fixed; ganda and tunggal bebas are choreographed by the competitors.
See also: Pencak silat, Tunggal, Tunggal bebas, Ganda, Regu
The ruleWhat are the events in pencak silat?Hormat
The formal salute. Pesilat give it to the referee and the competition chairman on entering, to each other before shaking hands, and again after the result.
See also: Pesilat, Competition chairman
Categories and classes
Tanding
The match category: two pesilat from opposite corners face each other, parrying, evading, hitting the target and dropping the opponent, using kaidah, tactics, stamina and fighting spirit.
Also called: Match
See also: Pesilat, Kaidah
Jurus category
The artistic category, with four events: tunggal, tunggal bebas, ganda and regu. In the 2026 rules every event is a knockout between a red and a blue competitor or team. Older rules and many events call it seni.
Also called: Seni
See also: Tunggal, Tunggal bebas, Ganda, Regu, Absolute win
Tunggal
The single event: one pesilat performs the standard routine (Jurus Tunggal Baku) for 3 minutes, correctly, firmly and with feeling, first empty-handed and then with the golok and toya. The last movement is the sempok position with the stick held behind the back.
Also called: Single, Jurus tunggal
See also: Pesilat, Jurus, Golok and toya
Tunggal bebas
The free solo event: one pesilat performs a choreographed routine of 1 to 3 minutes with a Nusantara weapon, to live or recorded music if wished. There is no penalty for costume, which may suit the character as long as it respects pencak silat norms. The Pesta Sukan handbook calls it solo creative.
Also called: Free solo, Solo creative, Jurus tunggal bebas
See also: Pencak silat, Pesilat
Ganda
The double event: two pesilat of one team perform a choreographed 3-minute fight that must look realistic, starting empty-handed, then with the golok and toya, then with one chosen Nusantara weapon. Weapons may clash, ring and spark, but blades must be blunt.
Also called: Double, Jurus ganda
See also: Pesilat, Golok and toya
Regu
The team event: three pesilat of one team perform the standard team routine (Jurus Wajib Regu) empty-handed for 3 minutes, in sequence and in time with each other. The last movement is seated upright with the hands on the thighs.
Also called: Team, Jurus regu
See also: Pesilat, Jurus
Age categories
Set by year of birth and proved by identity card or passport: Singa (3 to 6), Macan (7 to 9), pre-teen (10 to 11), pre-junior (12 to 13), junior (14 to 16), senior (17 to 45), Master A (46 to 60) and Master B (61 and over). A note in the revision table says the age groups follow the 2023 rules, and the Pesta Sukan handbook gives other bands for the youngest groups.
Also called: Age classes
Weight categories
Classes by body weight, for tanding only, lettered from A with open classes at the top. Senior men run from under 45 kg through A (45 to 50 kg) to J (90 to 95 kg), then Open 1 (95 to 110 kg) and Open 2 (over 110 kg), 13 classes; senior women have 11, with Open 2 over 100 kg. Juniors have 15 and 13 classes, pre-juniors 17 each and pre-teens 20 each.
Also called: Weight classes
See also: Tanding
The arena and equipment
Arena (pencak silat)
A 10 m by 10 m square on a standard PERSILAT mat 5 cm thick, flat, non-slip and light green, with white lines 5 cm wide that lie inside the area. For tanding the fighting area is an 8 m circle inside the square. Two corners are yellow neutral corners and the other two belong to the red and blue pesilat, each with a coach box.
Also called: Gelanggang
See also: PERSILAT, Pesilat, Tanding, Coach box
Golok and toya
The compulsory weapons for tunggal and ganda, with blunt, unpointed metal blades. For juniors and seniors the golok (or parang), a broad knife, is 30 to 40 cm long and 2.5 to 4 cm wide, and the toya, a staff, is 150 to 180 cm long and 2.5 to 3.5 cm thick; younger groups use shorter ones. Holding the golok by its metal part must be marked down for firmness.
Also called: Weapons, Golok, Toya, Parang
See also: Tunggal, Ganda
Tanding: the match and scoring
Knockout system
Tanding and every jurus event are knockouts, from qualifying rounds through the quarter-finals and semi-finals to the final, unless PERSILAT decides otherwise. In the jurus category the losing semi-finalists share bronze.
See also: PERSILAT, Jurus, Tanding, Jurus category
Match rounds
Three rounds of 2 minutes for pre-juniors, juniors and seniors; three of 90 seconds for Singa, Macan and pre-teens; two of 90 seconds for Master A and two of 1 minute for Master B, with a 1-minute break each time. The clock stops whenever the referee stops the fight. A gong marks the start and end of each round, and a clapper 50 seconds into the break calls the pesilat back.
Also called: Duration of match
See also: Pesilat
Competition commands
Bersedia (ready) warns the pesilat and officials that the match is about to begin, Mulai (begin) starts or restarts it, and Berhenti, Henti or Tiii (stop) halts it.
See also: Pesilat
Target area
The scoring target is the chest, the abdomen above the navel, the ribs on both sides and the back. Arms and legs may be struck on the way to a target or to set up a drop but never score.
See also: Jatuhan
Technical score
One point for a hand attack and two for a foot attack that lands on the target with power, stability and kaidah, unblocked, without grabbing and from a firm stance. Three points for a drop. A scoring kick still counts if it is then caught. The same hand technique repeated on the spot scores only 1, and the same kick repeated without the foot touching the mat only 2. The jurors must see the hit.
Jatuhan
A drop, worth 3 points. It is valid when three points of the opponent's body from the knees up touch the mat or the dropper's body, by a sweep, lift or scissors, a throw after a valid catch or a valid hand or foot attack. The dropper must stay in control and not fall too, only one sweeping or scissors technique may be used in one attempt, and a drop that starts inside the circle stays valid if it slides out.
Also called: Valid drop, Drop
See also: Tangkapan
Tanding: violations and penalties
Reprimand and warnings
A reprimand (teguran) follows a light violation after two pembinaan, or comes at once for a moderate violation. A third reprimand, or a second in the same round, brings Warning I (peringatan), which also follows any serious violation. Warning II follows the next warning, and Warning III is disqualification. Warnings last for the whole match.
Also called: Teguran, Peringatan
See also: Pembinaan
Penalty points
Deductions from the score: minus 1 for the first reprimand, minus 2 for the second, minus 5 for Warning I and minus 10 for Warning II.
Tanding: winning
Winning by points
The pesilat with the higher total wins. On a tie the order is: fewer penalty points, then more high technical scores (3s, then 2s, then 1s), then one extra round, then the lighter body weight, then a draw by the competition chairman before the technical delegate and both team managers.
Also called: Menang angka
See also: Pesilat, Penalty points, Technical delegate, Competition chairman
Jurus (seni) events
Jurus score
Each of the ten jurors scores a performance between 9.00 and 10.00, and the system takes the median. A disqualification scores 0.00. The 2013 rules used an accuracy score out of 100 and pools of contestants instead.
Also called: Point system
See also: Jurors
Sound in jurus
Performers may call out and spectators may cheer, but coaches may not guide them by voice.
Officials and protests
Referee (tanding)
The official who leads the match: starts and ends it, stops it for violations, falls, injuries, a drop that runs past 5 seconds or a coach's protest, gives guidance, reprimands and warnings and raises the winner's hand.
See also: Jatuhan
Jurors
In tanding three jurors score the hand and foot attacks; in the jurus category ten jurors score each performance. Officials are chosen, where numbers allow, from regions other than the pesilat's, and their decisions are final.
Also called: Juri, Judges
See also: Pesilat, Jurus, Tanding, Jurus category
Protest card
In tanding each coach has two cards per match, for all three rounds, raised to ask for a video replay of a referee's decision on a violation, a fall or a verification. A successful card is handed back. In the jurus category each coach has one card per performance, for penalties only, used after the final gong and before the result.
Also called: Coach protest
See also: Jurus, Tanding, Jurus category