新加坡华语资料库

本资料库收录了具有文化、历史或情感意义的华语词汇。这些词汇是新加坡人过去或现在的生活用语,有的见于印刷媒体,有的则在日常对话中使用。

xiǎo

North Bridge Road area

Places

地理相关

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North Bridge Road area

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Photo courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Places

地理相关

Places

释义

名词

指新加坡河的北岸一带,即今天的桥北路(North Bridge Road)地段。

DEFINITION

Noun

Area around the northern bank of the Singapore River, which is known today as the North Bridge Road area.

由来
  • 1822年,莱佛士爵士(Sir Stamford Raffles)的城市规划将新加坡河的北岸划分为欧洲人聚居地,范围为桥北路的地段,并以埃尔金桥(Elgin Bridge)作为分界点。这个地区即民间俗称的“小坡”。
  • “小坡”的“坡”并不是指山坡,而是将同音的福建(闽南)词语 “埠”错误地音译成为“坡”。“埠”在福建话中指沿岸城市,在华语中有码头的意思,就如新加坡河岸的驳船码头(Boat Quay)。
  • “小坡”这个名称是相对于新加坡河南岸的“大坡”而言。由于新加坡河的南岸是早期南来的华人的第一个聚居地,所以根据华人传统先有大而后有小的程序,新加坡河南岸便称为大坡。至于新加坡河北岸,是后来的第二个华人聚居地,因此称为小坡。
  • 小坡原被划分为欧洲人的聚居地,但随着欧洲人的搬迁及华人移民的增加,小坡逐渐转变成为了华人聚居地。
  • 根据清朝李钟钰《新加坡风土记》的记载,“小坡虽有市集,皆土人所设土货及各项食物。无一巨肆。”可见当时的小坡不如大坡的繁华,所售卖的主要为土产品和食物,而且没有大规模的商店。
ETYMOLOGY
  • In 1822, Sir Stamford Raffles developed a town plan for Singapore. In the plan, he allotted the northern bank of the Singapore River for European settlements. This area would become the North Bridge Road area, and was demarcated by the Elgin Bridge. The area became known to the locals as “小坡” .
  • The “坡” in “大坡” does not refer to an actual slope. Rather, it is the mistaken transliteration of the Hokkien (Minnan) term “埠”. In the Hokkien dialect, the character “埠” refers to “a coastal city”. In Mandarin, however, it refers to a “quay” or “harbour”, such as Boat Quay situated along the banks of the Singapore River.
  • The Mandarin term “小坡” is used in relation to the term “大坡”, which refers to the area along the southern banks of the Singapore River. According to Chinese tradition, there is a proper order for things, from big (“大”) to small (“小”), elder to younger. Hence, the southern bank of the Singapore River was named “大坡” because it was the first area for the early Chinese settlers in Singapore. The northern bank came to be known as “小坡” as it was the second settlement for the early Chinese.
  • The North Bridge Road area was originally allotted for European settlements. However, as the Europeans started moving out and more Chinese settlers arrived in Singapore, the area gradually became a Chinese settlement.
  • According to the records found in A Description of Singapore in 1887(《新加坡风土记》) written by the Qing Dynasty Court Official Li Zhongyu, “Although there were markets located in Xiaopo, there were no large and established shops within. Instead, the wares offered only comprised of produce and food by the indigenous people.” It was clear that, at the time, the North Bridge Road area was not as prosperous as the South Bridge Road area. The items on sale were mainly local wares and food, and there were no large-scale stores.
例句
后来小坡一带人口与日俱增,但当时交通并不发达,小坡的商家便按照同济医院的规章,于1901年在小坡二马路 (维多利亚街)设善济医社。(《联合早报》,7/9/2015)
SAMPLE SENTENCE
In the later years, the population in the North Bridge Road area increased exponentially. However, the area was poorly connected. Hence, the shop owners there established the Sian Chay Medical Institution on Second Street in the North Bridge Road area (Victoria Street today) in 1901, in accordance with the principles of the Thong Chai Medical Institution. (Lianhe Zaobao, 7/9/2015)
相关资料

  • 19世纪初期,大坡的方言群以福建人(主要为闽南)、潮州人、广东人为主。19世纪末,当海南人、广西人,以及福建其他地方的人南来新加坡,大坡人口已经十分密集,于是他们便聚居在小坡一带。
  • 早期新加坡华人会用“落坡”来表示到市区去的意思,并把大小坡合称“坡底”。

RELATED INFORMATION

  • In the early 19th century, the people living in the South Bridge Road area were mainly from the Hokkien (Minnan), Teochew, and Cantonese dialect groups. By the end of the 19th century, there were also settlers there who hailed from the provinces of Hainan and Guangxi, as well as other parts of Fujian province. The South Bridge Road area had become very densely populated as a result. Hence, these new settlers moved into the North Bridge Road area.
  • In the early days, Singaporean Chinese would use the term “落坡” or “下坡” to mean “going to town”. The North and South Bridge Road areas were also collectively referred to as “坡底”.

参考资料
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