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:
chap ji kee
chap ji ki
→
Hokkien:
十二支
poj:
cha̍p-jī-ki
Detailed etymology
definitions
noun
- an illegal gambling game played in Singapore until the late 1960s, when stricter law enforcement and mass arrests of operators from various syndicates caused a decline in its popularity. It is believed to have originated in Johor in the early 1890s.
The game involves a player guessing two numbers from a set of twelve (sometimes represented using cards, but originally based on the twelve pieces in Chinese chess - hence the name).[1]
Because my family was not well-to-do, we patronized the two food stalls only when Mother won chap ji ki or when Father had some extra cash from working overtime.
— 2013, Tan Kok Yang. From the Blue Windows. NUS Press. ISBN: 9789971697563. p.23