Chimbridge Singlish Dictionary

definitions

noun

1. a widely-spoken Southern Min (Min Nan) language with several related dialects spoken by people from parts of Chaoshan (a region in Guangdong, China) and its diaspora, especially in maritime South-East Asia. It is closely related to other Min Nan languages, such as Hokkien.

I was entranced by the fluting and cascading Teochew inside. ... At the same time, I was an outsider because there was no music in my Teochew.

— 1993 July 4, Lee Siew Hua. The Straits Times, "Teochew: Close to my heart but foreign to my tongue". p.2

I stumbled upon the programme Happy Can Already on Toggle and was delighted that it was in Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese, although predominantly in Hokkien.

— 2017 February 8, Cindy Tan. Today, "Variety show Happy Can Already worth another run". p.31

2. a person of Teochew ethnicity, culture, background, etc.

Teochews tend to use English more often than other major dialect groups ... When speaking to grandparents, the Teochews are twice as likely to have used English as their cousins, the Hokkiens.

— 1983 October 9. The Straits Times, "Teochews tend to use English more often". p.12

A troop of 115 Teochews from Singapore will be making tracks to their ancestral homeland in Swatow in south-eastern China tomorrow to join 4,000 other Teochews for a global gathering of members of the dialect group.

— 1997 November 16. The Straits Times, "115 Teochews from S'pore to attend global gathering in Swatow". p.38

3. Chaozhou, a prefecture-level city in China

More than 20 types of such preserved fruit from the Teochew and Swatow districts in China will be on display at the exhibition ...

— 1993 February 2. The Straits Times, "'Sour kanna' at exhibition on Teochew culture". p.18

Since the freezing of Japanese assets by Britain, Japanese occupying some parts of Swatow and Teochew retaliated by refusing passage of money from the Japanese-occupied to "free" areas in the two places mentioned.

— 1941 October 16. Malaya Tribune, "Remittances To More China Areas". p.5

adjective

1. of or relating to the Teochew ethnolinguistic community and its people, language, ethnicity, culture, background, etc.

Are you losing touch with your own Teochew Culture? ... Savour authentic Teochew dishes and embark on a journey with us as we bring you on a trip to the origins of Teochew & Teowchew cuisine. We will also share how the dishes are delicately prepared in the true Teochew way. Get to enjoy live opera performance of Teochew Opera.

— 2010 January 4, Teochew City Seafood Restaurant. Today (advertisements column). p.22