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:
kuih tutu kueh kutu kueh putu kuih putu
kueh tutu
→
Malay:
kuih
+
putu
Detailed etymology
definitions
noun
- a Singaporean Chinese kueh made from finely-pounded rice flour with a filling of grated coconut with gula melaka or ground peanuts, steamed in a flower-shaped mould, and finally served on a square of pandan leaf.[1] It is possibly based on the South Indian snack known as puttu.
Ask a Chinese Singaporean to name the kueh and chances are he'd tell you it's kueh tutu. Ask a Peranakan and the answer will likely be kueh kutu. But doesn't kutu refer to lice? "Yes, it does," laughed a Nyonya colleague. "It doesn't make sense, but we've always been using kutu for putu. Don't ask me why, but we also call putumayam, kutumayam."
— 1987. The Straits Times, "Tutu, kutu or putu". p.3
usage notes
Often confused with the very similar putu piring, a dish of Malay origin, upon which it may be based.