Chimbridge Singlish Dictionary

definitions

noun

1. a male Peranakan or descendant of Peranakans

Most of the Chinese ancestors of the Babas came from Fujian and Guangdong of southern China. Within the Peranakan community, there are Hokkien Baba, Teochew Baba, Cantonese Baba and Hakka Baba.

— 2019, various authors (excerpt by Ng Fooi Beng). A General History Of The Chinese In Singapore, 6C: Peranakan Community and Culture. World Scientific Publishing Company. ISBN: 9789813277656. p.261

2. honorific term of address for a male Peranakan

adjective

1. of or relating to the Peranakan society, culture, ethnicity, language, etc., particularly (but not necessarily, and often not) its traditionally male-related facets

In other words, nyonya food is not only delicious, it expresses Baba sentiment associated with Baba subjectivity, and Baba identity associated with group identification.

— 2007, Tan Chee-Beng and Sidney Cheung (excerpt by Tan Chee-Beng). Food and Foodways in Asia: Resource, Tradition and Cooking. Taylor & Francis. ISBN: 9781134164615. p.181

synonyms:

Peranakan orang Cina bukan Cina