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.

wén huà
Culture
降头
jiàng tóu
black magic (colloquially known as gong tau)
卡峇雅
kǎ bā yǎ
kebaya
历史走道
lì shǐ zǒu dào
heritage trail
龙沟鱼
lóng gōu yú
longkang fish
马打
mă dă
police (colloquially known as mata, derived from mata-mata)
马来语文与文化活动月
mǎ lái yǔ wén yǔ wén huà huó dòng yuè
Bulan Bahasa
猫步
māo bù
catwalk
娘惹
niáng rě
nyonya / nonya
七月歌台
qī yuè gē tái
getai
全面防卫日
quán miàn fáng wèi rì
Total Defence Day
纱丽
shā lì
sari
纱笼
shā lóng
sarong
狮城
shī chéng
Lion City
石叻
shí lè
Selat (old term to refer to Singapore)
诗乐
shī yuè
Poetry-music
宋谷
sòng gǔ
songkok
天公
tiān gōng
Jade Emperor (colloquially known as ti gong)
屠妖节
tú yāo jié
Deepavali
卫塞节
wèi sài jié
Vesak Day
文化捐献配对基金
wén huà juān xiàn pèi duì jī jīn
Cultural Matching Fund