The Resident Tourist (Part 5) Glossary

ang moh   (Hokkien) a local term used to describe Caucasians, literally red-haired

ang pow   (Teochew) a red envelope containing money used by Chinese people as gifts, literally red packet

cham   (Teochew) pitiful

chio   (Hokkien) a somewhat crude colloquial term used to refer to a physically attractive female

ganbatte (gun-bah-teh)   (Japanese) do your best

gong xi   (Mandarin) congratulations

hahng zhihng pai   (Teochew) business is bad

HDB   Housing & Development Board, Singapore's public housing authority that supplies apartments housing more than 80% of the local population

JC   junior college, a tertiary school providing pre-university education

Je suis Superman!   (French) I'm Superman!

kampong   (Malay) village

kaypoh   (Hokkien) busybody

kena   (Malay) to get affected by or to suffer

kwa simi   (Hokkien) literally what are you looking at

lian   (Hokkien) a woman who dresses garishly to make a statement, and who speaks and acts in a manner perceived to be lacking in taste and sophistication; the female counterpart to the beng

Lianhe Zaobao   (Mandarin) literally United Morning Paper, Singapore’s largest circulating Chinese-language newspaper

mai tu liao   (Hokkien) literally delay no more

makan   (Malay) food, literally to eat

Nihongo wakarimasu ka?   (Japanese) Do you understand Japanese?

NS   National Service

NTU   Nanyang Technological University

rotan   (Malay) cane (for flogging)

shiok   (Malay) a term used to express extreme pleasure and enjoyment

siah suay   (Hokkien) to embarrass

sian   (Hokkien) to be bored or listless; to be without enthusiasm

siang   (Hokkien) who

siao   (Hokkien) crazy

tahan   (Malay) to endure

xin jia joo yi   (Teochew) may all your wishes be fulfilled

zhun bo   (Hokkien) literally is that accurate

这里不能拍照！(zhe li bu neng pai zhao)   (Mandarin) Photography is not allowed in here!

你看啦！(ni kan la)   (Mandarin) You see!

跟你讲，不要听！(gen ni jiang, bu yao ting!)   (Mandarin) I told you, but you wouldn't listen!

好公民 (hao gong min)   (Mandarin) good citizen

谢谢。(xie xie)   (Mandarin) Thank you.

恭喜，恭喜，恭喜你啊！(gong xi, gong xi, gong xi ni ah!)   (Mandarin) Congratulations to you! (a festive Chinese New Year song)

年轻人 (nian qing ren)   (Mandarin) young folks

残念！(zannen)   (Japanese) Too bad!

재밌잖아요！ (jaemid janhayo)   (Korean) You're funny!