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opeh leaves
* 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:
opeh leaves
opeh leaf
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Malay:
upih
+
English:
leaf
definitions
noun
- the large leaf bases or leaf sheaths of Areca catechu, the areca palm (also known as the betel nut palm), which are traditionally dried (after which they turn a pale brownish-tan colour) and used to wrap food such as Hokkien mee, chee cheong fun, and chai tow kway. They are said to impart an aromatic, woody fragrance to the dish enclosed within.
In the old days, if you had it for takeaway, you'd be served your beef kway teow in opeh leaves.
— 2014 June 5, Christie Yeo (quoting Jeremy Ratnam). Today, "Class 95FM’s Jeremy Ratnam". p.7
There were no styrofoam boxes or waxed paper for takeaways then. Instead, the food was wrapped with opeh leaves, and was tied with thin cane, not raffia, string.
— 2013, Tan Kok Yang. From the Blue Windows. NUS Press. ISBN: 9789971697563. p.22
usage notes
While it is referred to as a 'leaf', it is not the actual leaf of the areca palm (which resembles a typical palm tree frond), but its wide sheath at the base where it attaches to the trunk.
related:
references:
1.
Collins Gem Malay-English, English-Malay Dictionary, Revised Edition — "upih". Haji Abdul Rahman bin Yusop. 1975, William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. p.284