Meaning of wayang | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Traditional Indonesian arts performance (shadow puppetry, theatrical, dance, etc.) originating from Java island.
   countable, uncountable
2. A shadow theatre performance, or such performances in general.
   countable, uncountable
3. Any traditional theatrical work, combining drama, music, song and sometimes dance.
   Malaysia, Singapore, countable, uncountable
4. Traditional Chinese opera, performed outdoors. The equivalent term in Mandarin is 街戲 /街戏 (jiēxì, literally “street opera”).
   Malaysia, Singapore, countable, uncountable
5. Insincere behaviour; an act meant to deceive or mislead.
   Singapore, Singlish, countable, uncountable

Examples

“There had been two important reservations made on the practice of consultation and consensus. […] The other reservation is that consultation and consensus is no more than a “wayang”, because views are not accepted and no changes are made to the original policy.”

“Besides being adept at directing actors from behind the camera, [Royston] Tan is a bit of a wayang king himself.”

“Dr Chee called the polls a ‘wayang’ and said they were being held so that the PAP could claim to have the people’s mandate to govern.”

“Mr [Inderjit] Singh […] had said earlier that Mr [James] Gomez told him the minority certificate incident was just a ‘wayang’, Malay for theatre.”

“They have to review whether they have revealed too much to the public before the wayang goes on.”

CEFR level