Etymology

kongsi

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Today it means: A benevolent organization of popular origin found among overseas Chinese communities for individuals with the same surname. Full definition →

Hokkien 公司
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The story

  1. Hokkien · borrowed from公司“company”
  2. English todaykongsi

Borrowed from Hokkien 公司 (kong-si, “company”). See also Hokkien 公班衙 (kong-pan-gêe / kong-pan-gê), English British East India Company, Dutch Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (“Dutch East India Company”, literally “United East India Company”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.