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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A - Z PINYIN LISTING

牛

niú

车

chē

水

shuĭ

Chinatown

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Chinatown

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Places

地理相关

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释义

名词

位于新加坡市中心俗称“大坡”的地区，早年新加坡华人的聚居地。牛车水的范围指的是北起克罗士街 (Cross Street）、南达恭锡路（Keong Saik Road）、东临桥南路（South Bridge Road）、西至新桥路（New Bridge Road）的一整片地段。

DEFINITION

Noun

Situated in the “大坡” (tua po) area in Singapore’s city centre, Chinatown is where early Chinese immigrants lived. It is approximately bounded by Cross Street to the north, Keong Saik Road to the south, South Bridge Road to the east and New Bridge Road to the west.

由来
  • 早年新加坡的交通工具是牛车和马车，马路多数是红泥路，行走在路上经常引起尘土飞扬，负责管理街道的市议会就从英国引进洒水水箱，用水牛拖拉，每天在主要街道沿途喷洒，以镇住飞扬的尘土。这些水车（watering carts）集中停靠在桥南路（South Bridge Road）地段，“牛车水”因此得名。有一个说法是，马来语称“水车”为 kereta air，受马来语说话习惯的影响，华人便将“水”一词置于“牛车”一词之后。
ETYMOLOGY
  • In early Singapore, the main modes of transport were bullock carts and horse-drawn carts, which would kick up a lot of dust on the red-clay roads. To minimise the amount of dust, the city council imported waterspraying tanks from England. These tanks were mounted on bullock carts to spray water along the streets every day. The watering carts were parked around South Bridge Road, which was how “牛车水” (made up of the words “bullock”, “cart” and “water”, respectively) got its name. One belief is that watering carts are known as kereta air in the Malay language, and influenced by Malay speaking habits, the word “水” was placed after the term “牛车”.
例句
相隔10年，牛车水今年再办农历新年花市，方便附近居民采购年花，为家中增添春节气息。（《联合早报》，24/1/2019）
SAMPLE SENTENCE
After a hiatus of ten years, Chinatown is hosting the Lunar New Year flower market once again, making it convenient for residents of the area to buy flowers and add a touch of spring to their homes. (Lianhe Zaobao, 24/1/2019)
相关资料

  • 早年牛车水有许多酒楼、戏园、妓寮、商铺、茶楼、流动小贩等，是劳工阶层生活起居的场所，可说是早年南洋华人社会的缩影。近年随着市区重建计划，这里被规划为华族文化体验区，是新加坡著名的旅游景点。
  • “牛车水”一词受马来语词语 kereta air 的影响，形成“牛车”和“水”的组合词语。因为这个历史典故，新加坡的“Chinatown”普遍称为“牛车水”而不是“唐人街”。

RELATED INFORMATION

  • Chinatown has been home to restaurants, opera houses, brothels, shops, teahouses and hawkers over the years. It was a major hub for the working class, and a microcosm of Chinese society in Nanyang. The urban redevelopment initiatives in recent years have designated Chinatown as an area to experience Chinese culture, and it is now one of Singapore’s popular tourist spots.
  • Due to the historical significance of the name’s origin, Singapore’s Chinatown is known as “牛车水” instead of “唐人街”, which is how most cities in other parts of the world refer to their Chinatowns. 

参考资料
点击查看牛车水的参考资料
REFERENCES

Click here to view references for Chinatown

 

 

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