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.
Sago Lane (colloquially known as sei yan gai)
Sago Lane (colloquially known as sei yan gai)
DEFINITION
Noun
The colloquial name of Sago Lane.
由来
- 硕莪巷也称为 “沙莪巷”、“贺万年后街” 和 “番寨尾”。“贺万年” 是位于该街的一家华人歌厅的店号，而 “番寨” 指的是旧时活跃于此街道的日本娼妓。
- 1840 年代，硕莪巷及附近的硕莪街（Sago Street）有许多西米工厂，而因为在方言读音中西米也称为硕莪、沙莪、沙谷米等，所以相关道路也由此得名。
- 后来，硕莪巷开始出现殡仪馆、棺材店及纸扎店等殡葬相关行业，因此人们也俗称之为 “死人街”。
- 由于广东人将殡仪馆称为 “大难馆”，因此硕莪巷也称为 “大难馆街”。
- 死人街的殡仪馆除了负责处理丧葬事宜，也设有 “养病所”，是慢性及末期病患的收容所。
- 1982 年底，随着硕莪巷最后一家殡仪馆的搬迁，“死人街” 也正式走入历史。
ETYMOLOGY
- Sago Lane is also known in Mandarin as “沙莪巷”, “贺万年后街”, and “番寨尾”. “贺万年” is the name of a Chinese singing hall located at Sago Lane, while “番寨” refers to Japanese prostitutes who used to ply their trade along this road.
- In the 1840s, there were many sago factories along Sago Lane and the nearby Sago Street. Thus, these roads were named after the pronunciations of sago in Chinese dialect, such as “硕莪”, “沙莪” or “沙谷米”.
- Later, as funeral parlours, coffin shops, and shops selling paper offerings began to appear at Sago Lane, it became colloquially known as “死人街” (meaning “dead person’s street”) in reference to the shops in the funeral industry.
- As the Cantonese referred to funeral parlours as “大难馆”, Sago Lane was also colloquially known as “大难馆街”, with “街” meaning “street”.
- In addition to handling funeral matters, the funeral parlours at Sago Lane also set up “养病所”, meaning “a place to recuperate from illness”, which provided shelter for chronically and terminally ill patients.
- At the end of 1982, the name “死人街” became history with the relocation of the last funeral parlour at Sago Lane.
例句
今日佛牙寺所在地昔为 “死人街”，殡仪馆，棺材店，纸扎店，香烛店林立，附属在殡仪馆的养病所照料末期病人日常生活，为建国时期的独特景观。（《联合早报》，17/1/2019）
SAMPLE SENTENCE
Today, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is located at Sago Lane, where there were previously many funeral parlours, coffin shops, and shops selling paper offerings, incense, and candles. Affiliated to the funeral parlours was a place where the daily needs of terminally ill patients were taken care of. This was a unique sight in the nation-building years of Singapore. (Lianhe Zaobao, 17/1/2019)
RELATED INFORMATION
- Sago Lane was a rickshaw station in Chinatown during the 1920s.