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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石

shí

叻

lè

Selat (old term to refer to Singapore)

Culture

文化

Culture

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Selat (old term to refer to Singapore)

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Photo courtesy of By Lambert & Co., G.R. (Wikimedia Commons)
Culture

文化

Culture

释义

名词

旧时新加坡的别名。

DEFINITION

Noun

An old name for Singapore.

由来
  • “石叻坡”中的“石叻”为马来语 selat 的音译，意思是海峡。新加坡前临新加坡海峡，后倚柔佛海峡，因而得名。华人以此称呼新加坡应该是开埠之后，也写作“石叻”、“实力”、“实叻”、“叻埠”等。中国清朝文献中称它为“息辣”，也写作“息力”、“息竦”等。
ETYMOLOGY
  • The term “石叻” in “石叻坡” is a transliteration of the Malay word selat, which means “straits”. Singapore is fronted by the Singapore Straits and backed by the Johor Straits, hence it was known as “Selat”. The Chinese used the term to refer to Singapore since its beginnings as a trading port. The name is represented by different Chinese phonetic characters in writing, like “石叻”, “实力”, “实叻”, and “叻埠”. It also appears as “息辣”, “息力” and “息竦” in Chinese documents from the Qing dynasty.
例句
听父亲说，因为生活困苦，祖父从中国南下，来到当时的石叻坡讨生活。（《联合早报》，3/12/2018）
SAMPLE SENTENCE
I heard from my father that due to difficult living conditions, my grandfather journeyed south from China to make a living in what was then called Selat. (Lianhe Zaobao, 3/12/2018)
相关资料

  • 在16世纪葡萄牙人的著作里，新加坡的原住民海人（Orang Laut）被称为“石叻仔”（Cellates）。
  • 1881年，薛有礼在新加坡创办的《叻报》，就是取名自石叻。

RELATED INFORMATION

  • In Portuguese works from the 16th century, the indigenous sea dwellers (Orang Laut, literally "sea people" in Malay) on Singapore island were referred to as “Cellates”.
  • In 1881, See Ewe Lay established the Lat Pau (《叻报》) newspaper in Singapore, taking its name from “Selat”.

参考资料
点击查看石叻的参考资料
REFERENCES

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