Let me tell you the differences between Balinese script and Javanesescript, in my style!
11:32 PMI was doodling “Balinese letters” in class, posted it, and someone commented: “Aksara Jawa kuwi.”
Seriously, this is Balinese script. I promise I’m not lying.
About nine weeks ago someone (also Indonesian!) commented that it was Javanese, which sent me into a tiny identity spiral.
So I googled my life choices and made the guide I wish I’d had.
Here’s a mini cheat sheet on Balinese vs. Javanese script (and why your eyes keep mixing them up).
[Wiki link here]
1) Names, not vibes
Aksara Bali = Balinese script (used in Bali).
Aksara Jawa / Carakan = Javanese script (used in Java, esp. Central/East Java).
Both come from the same family tree (Old Kawi/Brahmic), but they’re different writing systems with their own letters and rules.
2) What they are (in one sentence)
Both are abugidas: every consonant carries an inherent “a” vowel. Other vowels are added with little marks (diacritics) around the letter, and there are special marks to “kill” the vowel.
3) How to tell them apart at a glance
Balinese letters usually look a bit rounder and more open, and its vowel marks (like the little curls above/below) have distinct shapes you’ll start to recognize on temple signs and offerings labels in Bali.
Javanese letters often look tighter with more compact loops, and you’ll see them on street signs, markets, and monuments in Yogyakarta/Solo/Surabaya.
If you’ve seen the famous Javanese pangram “ha-na-ca-ra-ka”, that tradition is strongly associated with Aksara Jawa. Balinese has its own letter order and teaching rhymes.
(Think siblings, not twins.)
Aksara Bali (left), Aksara Jawa (Right)
4) Where you’ll meet them IRL
Aksara Bali: temple banners, lontar manuscripts, ceremony signage, some school emblems in Bali.
Aksara Jawa: Kraton/Yogyakarta & Solo signage, museum panels, wayang posters, some older Surabaya landmarks.
5) Learning tips (from a fellow struggler)
Start with the consonant row + the basic vowel signs only.
Practice writing your name and three everyday words.
Read signboards slowly: don’t worry if you mix them up at first; your eyes will calibrate.
6) About my doodle
What I wrote on IG was Balinese-style shapes (yes, I was copying... Practice makes… less chaotic). That’s why I captioned it “Balinese alphabet.”
The comment saying it was Javanese wasn’t totally wild, though.
Because the two scripts are cousins, a quick glance can fool you. Now you (and future-commenter mas/mbak) have receipts. 😉
Confession time: hanacaraka (the Javanese script) wrecked me in school.
My highest score was… 45/100.
Meanwhile I got 90/100 for Japanese, 65/100 for Indonesian, and a very suspicious 95/100 for English (don’t worry, my grammar still humbles me).
Point is: living in Indonesia doesn’t auto-install perfect
Indonesian/Javanese/Balinese literacy. We speak the languages, but learning the scripts properly is a separate boss fight. We keep learning-pelan-pelan, but we move. 🙃
Short version: Aksara Bali ≠ Aksara Jawa. Same family tree, different languages, letter shapes, and vibe. So you need to look closely.
Blink-and-see differences (super quick):
- Headlines: Balinese letters often look rounder with taller “crowns”; Javanese tends to sit wider and flatter.
- Vowel signs: Both use diacritics, but their shapes/positions differ.
- Letter set: There are overlaps, but several consonants diverge in form (and some usage rules do too).
Want me to add a tiny side-by-side for the first five consonants with their a/i/u/e/o marks so readers can spot it instantly? Say the word and I’ll pop it in. (if i'm not lazy)
Happy Saturday night!
Ikkel
Follow on Instagram
2 comments
Hi dear, thank you for the follow, I love your blog and I followed you back!
ReplyDeletexoxo
www.chaneldea.blogspot.it
thank you very much! your comment really made my day T.T
Delete