Word origins

• oThe fifteenth letter of the English alphabet, called o and written in the Latin script.
• ohA hydroxyl, or alcohol, functional group.
• poA peacock.
• lolook, see, behold (in an imperative sense).
• ahAn expression of relief, relaxation, comfort, confusion, understanding, wonder, awe, etc. according to uttered inflection.
• ngA surname from Hokkien
• tanA light, brown-like colour.
• neoA unisex given name originating as a coinage.
• ehUsed as a tag question, to emphasise what goes before or to request that the listener express an opinion about what has been said.
• chanAn IRC channel.
• boAn exclamation used to startle or frighten.
• luSynonym of route or circuit, an administrative division of imperial China.
• ANGA surname from Hokkien.
• limA surname from Korean.
• humA hummed tune, i.e. created orally with lips closed.
• amaA traditional Japanese pearl diver, usually female, who mainly dives for seafood, typically without any tool for breathing.
• harA hinge.
• chengA Chinese surname from Mandarin.
• siamTo move aside; to get out of the way.
• tehTrans Europe Halles, a European cultural organization of venues that house the arts.
• TDKa mainlander from mainland China; mainland Chinese (to differentiate from a Chinese Filipino raised in the Philippines or other Overseas Chinese).
• chingA pair of small bowl-shaped finger cymbals made of thick and heavy bronze, used in the music of Thailand and Cambodia.
• tingRepresenting a high-pitched sharp sound like a small bell being struck.
• ginsengAny plant of two species of the genus Panax (Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius), having forked roots supposed to have medicinal and aphrodisiac properties.
• siaTagged at the end of a sentence to express discontent, shock, surprise, exhaustion or exasperation.
• diamBe quiet.
• tioCorrect; that's right.
• senseiA martial arts instructor; especially one for a Japanese martial art.
• hahSynonym of ah (sense 1); used to form tag questions prompting the listener to confirm something.
• chiaA Mexican sage grown for its edible seeds, Salvia hispanica.
• ketchupSuch a sauce more generally (not necessarily based on tomatoes, but with mushrooms, fish, etc.). This is the older meaning.
• UyA surname from Khmer.
• horher
• makiA ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta).
• liaoIndicates action completion, or more generally, perfective aspect.
• TeoA surname from Chinese.
• chamAn autocrat or dominant critic, especially Samuel Johnson.
• ChuaA surname from Hokkien.
• sianBored, weary or fed up; tired (of something).
• YauA surname.
• KhoA Dardic ethnic group of about 230,000 people, located primarily in Pakistan, with a small population in Afghanistan. They speak the Dardic Khowar language and their main religion is Islam.
• zaoTo leave hastily, to take off.
• tohTo collapse (fail or break down internally); to fall asleep or collapse from exhaustion.
• xiongA surname.
• gauA prayer box or small container worn as jewelry and containing an amulet or similar item.
• puiInterjection expressing strong disdain.
• sweeA finch of species Coccopygia melanotis, found in sub-Saharan Africa.
• pekoeA high-quality black tea made using young leaves, grown in Sri Lanka, India, Java and the Azores.
• zaiextremely skilled; talented.
• HokkienA group of Han Chinese people whose traditional ancestral homes are in southern Fujian, South China, especially those that ancestrally spoke the Hokkien language.
• rotenoneA toxic crystalline substance obtained from the roots of derris and related plants, widely used as an insecticide.
• CheahA surname from Hokkien.
• chioCute, pretty.
• AmoyFormer name of Xiamen: a prefecture-level city and subprovincial city of Fujian, in southeastern China.
• achithe eldest sister
• siongVery tough, challenging.
• maciA traditional Chinese rice cake snack made of glutinous rice, peanuts, and sugar.
• siaoMad; crazy
• thiamA surname.
• shobethe youngest sister
• Ah ChekUncle (father's younger brother)
• ahiathe eldest brother
• Ah KongGrandfather
• Ah MmPaternal aunt (wife of father's elder brother)
• Ah PekPaternal uncle (father's elder brother)
• Ah Sohsister-in-law (elder brother's wife)
• ang ku kuehSynonym of red tortoise cake.
• Ang Mo KioA planning area and town in the North-East Region of Singapore.
• An-pengSynonym of Anping.
• AuyongA Chinese surname from Hokkien.
• AwyoungA Chinese surname from Hokkien.
• bak changSynonym of zongzi (“A traditional Chinese dumpling of glutinous rice stuffed with a savoury or sweet filling, wrapped in large flat leaves, and cooked by steaming or boiling.”).
• bak chor meeA noodle dish made with minced meat (usually pork), soy sauce, oyster sauce and black vinegar.
• bakkwaA Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky.
• BanlamSynonym of Taiwanese (“variant of Hokkien spoken in Taiwan”).
• bao tohTo inform on someone behind his or her back.
• ba-wanA Taiwanese snack food consisting of a circular translucent dough filled with a savory stuffing and served with a sweet and savory sauce.
• bee hoonRice vermicelli, rice noodles.
• bird birdOne's penis.
• Black DitchSynonym of Taiwan Strait.
• black mongoblack bean; black soybean
• boheaA black tea from Fujian, China.
• boh kolengImpossible
• buay songUnhappy
• buay tankUnable to deal or to handle something or someone; unable to put up with a situation or person much longer.
• cai pngEconomy rice (rice sold with a combination of other dishes).
• carrot cakeA sweet cake, often iced, containing grated carrot.
• catch no ballTo fail to understand something; be unable to comprehend what others are saying.
• chao taBurnt and charred (e.g., from overcooking).
• chap chyemixed vegetables
• cheemDeep; profound; complex.
• cheng tngSynonym of ching bo leung (“type of cold dessert soup”).
• chiminologySpeech or writing marked by overly complex vocabulary.
• chin chowgrass jelly
• chio buAn attractive woman.
• Choa Chu KangA planning area and new town in the north-west of Singapore.
• chye pohPreserved radish in Asian cuisine.
• cumshawA gratuity or tip as thanks for a service
• die liaoUsed to suggest that one is doomed, or as good as dead.
• di loUndiluted; with no extra water added to dilute it, making it thicker than kopi gau.