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.

also can:

kiam chai giam chye giam chai

kiam chye

Min nan:

咸菜

poj:

kiâm-chhài

expand for details Detailed etymology

definitions

noun

  1. a type of salted or pickled vegetable, especially (but not necessarily) made from Brassica juncea (mustard greens), used as an ingredient in many Chinese dishes such as soups or toppings to impart a salty, sour, and umami flavour
  2. For most Singaporeans, mustard greens exist in the form of pickled vegetables or kiam chye, as it is known locally.

    — 2005 July 19, Brenda Chew. Today, "Mustard greens: The nutrition-packed food". p.40

  3. any item that is very crumpled or creased
  4. a mess; a disaster; a chaotic situation
  5. synonyms:


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