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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客

kè

工

gong

migrant workers

Communities/Organisations

社群、团体

Communities / Organisations

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migrant workers

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Photo courtesy of cegoh (Pixabay)
Communities/Organisations

社群、团体

Communities / Organisations

释义

名词

获准短期在新加坡工作的外籍工人。

DEFINITION

Noun

Overseas workers who have been granted permission to work in Singapore on a short-term basis.

由来
  • 短期的外籍劳工过去曾被称为“外劳”。对于“客工”这个称呼，一个说法是新加坡对这些帮忙打造家园的外国工人表示尊重。
  • 新加坡在1960年代末至1970年代初期工业发展迅速，政府早在1968年便开始引进客工，以解决劳力短缺的问题。
  • 1987年，政府推出外籍劳工税（foreign worker levy），以减缓市场对进口劳动力的需求。
ETYMOLOGY
  • Short-term migrant workers were previously known as “外劳” (foreign labourers). The term “客工” was coined, to give deference to the workers from other countries who helped to build Singapore.
  • Due to Singapore’s rapid industrial growth from the late 1960s to early 1970s, the Government started introducing migrant workers from as early as 1968, to counter the manpower shortage.
  • In 1987, the government started imposing the foreign worker levy, to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign workers.
例句
外籍劳工中心为同客工社群建立更密切的沟通管道，以及协助新客工融入本地社会，过去四年积极建立起客工基层网络，至今已有1500名客工义务担任“基层大使”，中心准备在2020年前增加至5000人。（《联合早报》，4/12/2017）
SAMPLE SENTENCE
Over the past four years, the Migrant Workers’ Centre has worked hard to build up a grassroot network among the foreign workers, aiming to establish communication channels with the foreign worker community, and helping new foreign workers to integrate into the Singaporean society. To date, nearly 1500 foreign workers have volunteered to be “grassroot ambassadors”. The centre aims to expand the network to 5000 by the year 2020. (Lianhe Zaobao, 4/12/2017)
其他地区用语

外籍劳工（大陆）、外劳（港、台）

TERMS USED IN OTHER REGIONS

外籍劳工 (Mainland China), 外劳 (Hong Kong, Taiwan)

参考资料
点击查看客工的参考资料
REFERENCES

Click here to view references for migrant workers

 

 

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