Where does “balai” come from?

balai (Chinese) comes from Malay balai, from Proto-Malayic balay, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian balay, from Proto-Austronesian balay — house; hall.

balai (Chinese): police station

Definitions

  1. police station

Ancestry of “balai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaybalaihall, station, large building for public uses;...
2Proto-Malayicbalayhouse; hall
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbalayhouse; hall
4Proto-Austronesianbalayhouse; hall
Every word from Proto-Austronesian balay →