This is the 758th most frequent Malay word.
balai
"Balai" means "hall" or "pavilion" in English.
In this sentence, 'balai' refers to an official building or station, specifically a police station (balai polis).
Mari kita pergi ke balai polis untuk membuat laporan.
Let's go to the police station to make a report.
Here, 'balai' means a community hall or a public meeting space, where 'raya' specifies it as a large gathering place.
Balai raya di kampung ini selalu digunakan untuk pertemuan penduduk.
The community hall in this village is often used for residents' meetings.
In this example, 'balai' denotes a gallery or exhibition hall, with 'balai seni' specifically describing an art gallery.