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.

蔡厝港
cài cuò gǎng
Choa Chu Kang
财副
cái fù
clerk (colloquially known as zai hu)
财路
cái lù
General Interbank Recurring Order (GIRO)
菜燕
cài yàn
agar-agar
残障
cán zhàng
physically disabled
草场
cǎo chǎng
field
草根
cǎo gēn
grassroots
插车
chā chē
forklift
茶乌
chá wū
teh-o
唱片骑师
chàng piàn qí shī
disc jockey (DJ)
常任秘书
cháng rèn mì shū
Permanent Secretary
潮州饭粿
cháo zhōu fàn guǒ
png kueh
车厂
chē chǎng
depot
扯购
chě gòu
panic buying (of currency or stocks)
车匙
chē shí
car keys
乘搭
chéng dā
to ride
吃冰淇淋
chī bīng qí lín
checking out eye candy
吃风
chī fēng
to travel or have a vacation overseas (colloquially known as jiak hong)
吃蛇
chī shé
skiving off (colloquially known as jiak tsua)
充电
chōng diàn
to rest and recharge