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samsui woman
Commonly found variants; note these may range from acceptable alternatives to
non-standard forms or incorrect spellings*.
* Singlish is a largely spoken creole, and as such descriptivism (recording forms that reflect actual pronunciation in spoken language, or as appearing in the linguistic corpus) is more pertinent than strict prescriptivism. Nevertheless, the use of more standard forms (or for words originating in languages with Latin script, such as Malay, accurate to the original spelling) is recommended and encouraged.
* Singlish is a largely spoken creole, and as such descriptivism (recording forms that reflect actual pronunciation in spoken language, or as appearing in the linguistic corpus) is more pertinent than strict prescriptivism. Nevertheless, the use of more standard forms (or for words originating in languages with Latin script, such as Malay, accurate to the original spelling) is recommended and encouraged.
also can:
samsui women
Samsui woman
→
Cantonese:
三水
jyutping:
saam1 seoi2
+
English:
woman
Detailed etymology
definitions
noun
- any of the women, mostly hailing from Samsui in Guangdong, China but also other regions such as Fujian and Chaozhou, who came to Singapore during the 1920s to 1940s to work as manual labourers, most often in the construction industry. They were usually distinguished by their trademark outfit of a stiff square bright red cloth hat and a dark blue samfu (a traditional Chinese blouse).
Samsui women often lived hard lives and earned barely enough to get by on a simple lifestyle. They have often been recognised for their important role in Singapore’s early development.
Recently, a Chinatown shophouse mural by Sean Dunston depicting a samsui woman with a cigarette has become the centre of a heated debate.
— 2024 June 26, Ong Whee Teck. CNA, “Commentary: The controversy over the samsui woman mural is not just about art”. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/samsui-woman-mural-chinatown-cigarette-smoking-prostitute-art-culture-4434931