Singaporean Mandarin Database

This database contains a collection of Mandarin terms which have cultural, historical or sentimental value unique to Singapore. These terms may be used by Singaporeans in the past or at present. Some of the terms are read in print while others are used in our everyday conversations.

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五

wŭ

脚

jiăo

基

jī

five-foot-way

文化

Culture

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five-foot-way

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Photo courtesy of Bruce Tuffin (Freeimages.com)

文化

Culture

释义

名词

新加坡店屋前的有盖走廊。

DEFINITION

Noun

The covered corridor in front of shophouses in Singapore.

由来

1822年，莱佛士爵士（Sir Stamford Raffles）的新加坡市区规划明确规定：每间店屋前必须留有一定宽度的有盖走廊，其间不能有阻隔，形成一条通行无阻的人行通道。走廊宽度也规定不得少于5英尺，所以这种走廊被称为“five-foot-way”，华人称之为“五脚基”。
“五脚基”是福建话（闽南话）借词，福建话发音为gho ka ki。这个词语其实源自于马来语的kaki lima，由lima的意译“五”，结合kaki的音译“脚基”混合而成。

ETYMOLOGY

In 1822, the town plan for Singapore formulated by Sir Stamford Raffles clearly stated that there must be a covered corridor of a particular width constructed in front of every shophouse to form an unobstructed pedestrian walkway. The plan also specified that the width of the corridor shall be no less than five feet. Therefore, this type of corridor is called “five-foot-way”, which is also known as “五脚基” (wŭ jiăo jī) to the Chinese.
“五脚基” (five-foot-way) is a phrase borrowed from the Hokkien (Minnan) dialect, and is pronounced as gho ka ki in this dialect. In fact, this term originated from the Malay term kaki lima. It is a combination of the Malay word lima, which means “five”, and the Malay word kaki, which is transliterated as “foot-way”.

例句

踢毽子、吃拉车面、在街头“图书馆”看漫画书、参加步行导览，国人可在下个周末举家参与“五脚基节”，再次走入牛车水的巷弄街道，感受五脚基的往日情怀。(《联合早报》，14/3/2019)

SAMPLE SENTENCE

Kicking shuttlecock, savouring rickshaw noodles, browsing comics at the streetside “library” and attending guided walking tours - the public can join the Five-foot-way Festival, which will be held next weekend, to walk along the streets and lanes of Chinatown and relive the nostalgia along the five-foot-ways. (Lianhe Zaobao, 14/3/2019)

其他地区用语

骑楼、五脚距、五脚砌（大陆）

TERMS USED IN OTHER REGIONS

骑楼, 五脚距, 五脚砌 (Mainland China)