Poekoel
Definition & Context
Noun
A word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.
A word used to indicate a specific “time” or hour of the day; an archaic spelling of pukul commonly used during the Dutch colonial era in the Dutch East Indies.
Synonyms & Variants
jam
A synonym more commonly used in everyday conversation.
pukul
The phonological variation 'pukua' in the Minangkabau dialect used to express time or hour.
waktu
A specific period or moment; a temporal duration.
tabuh
A poetic or classical term referring to time markers via sound.
ketika
Refers to a specific moment or time but is more general in nature.
saat
Register variant to indicate a specific point in time.
Usage Notes or Etymology
The word poekoel is the Van Ophuijsen spelling of the modern Indonesian word pukul, meaning 'o'clock' or 'hour'. The Van Ophuijsen orthographic system, formalized in 1901 by Dutch linguist Charles van Ophuijsen, rendered the vowel sound u as “oe”, following Dutch orthographic conventions. This spelling was widely used in colonial-era newspapers, official documents, and Malay literary works throughout the Dutch East Indies until the mid-20th century.
Real-world Usage
Ia tiba di stasion pada malem senen, kira-kira poekoel sembilan. (Ia tiba di stasiun pada malam Senin, kira-kira pukul sembilan.)
English Translation
Representative of real-world usage and contextual accuracy.
Verified Evidence1

Boekoe Soerat-Soerat (TH. A. Du Mosch) Boekoe Soerat-Soerat (TH. A. Du Mosch)
ImageliteratureVerify Context
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