This glossary explains the terms and question words you meet in Moral Education. Each entry gives a meaning, a short example and the word it is most often confused with. Use it with the SPM Pendidikan Moral guide.
Check the exact wording in your school materials and on the Lembaga Peperiksaan website.
Core terms
| Term | Meaning | Example | Confused with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nilai (value) | A principle that guides right behaviour | Honesty | Action |
| Tindakan (action) | What a person does in a situation | Returning a wallet | Value |
| Sebab (reason) | Why the action is right | The owner needs it back | Consequence |
| Akibat (consequence) | What follows from an action | The owner trusts others more | Reason |
| Senario (scenario) | A short situation to analyse | A student finds a phone | Story |
| Pihak terlibat (affected party) | A person touched by the action | The shopkeeper | The decision maker |
| Dilema (dilemma) | A choice where values pull apart | Keep a promise or help a friend | Problem |
| Tanggungjawab (responsibility) | A duty you owe to others | Doing a chore you agreed to | Obligation imposed by others |
Value words that overlap
| Term | Meaning | Example | Confused with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kejujuran (honesty) | Telling the truth and not taking what is not yours | Admitting a mistake | Integrity |
| Integriti (integrity) | Acting on your values even when unseen | Not copying when alone | Honesty |
| Hormat (respect) | Treating others as worth consideration | Listening without interrupting | Obedience |
| Adil (fairness) | Giving each person what is due | Sharing tasks equally | Equal treatment |
| Bertimbang rasa (consideration) | Thinking about how others feel | Lowering a speaker’s volume at night | Kindness |
| Privasi (privacy) | A person’s right to control their information | Not posting a friend’s photo | Secrecy |
Question words
| Term | What the answer needs | Example prompt | Confused with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nyatakan (state) | A short, direct answer | State one value | Explain |
| Jelaskan (explain) | Reason plus detail | Explain why Raj should apologise | Describe |
| Huraikan (elaborate) | Extended development of points | Elaborate on two actions | Explain |
| Bincangkan (discuss) | More than one side or view | Discuss the choices | List |
| Cadangkan (suggest) | A practical action with a reason | Suggest what Mei should do | State |
| Nilaikan (evaluate) | A judgment with support | Evaluate Farid’s decision | Explain |
Everyday words that cause slips
| Term | Meaning | Example | Confused with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moralising | Lecturing instead of reasoning | “Everyone must be good” | Explaining |
| Generalisation | A claim about all cases | “People are always rude online” | A specific reason |
| Hasil (outcome) | A result of one decision | A friend forgives the apology | Akibat in general |
The lesson on decoding the command word shows how the question words change what you write. For close value pairs, see distinguishing closely related moral values.
To practise using these terms accurately, see online one-to-one Pendidikan Moral tuition.