Baba/Nyonya
Penang button

 chay tiao p'ar barng

More Baba sayings from Robert Kwok

 
been p’uay kau siang ka jamban pang
face skin thick as toilet planks

shameless, thick skinned

bo bok-tek, hami lang ai cho knua    
without an object, who wants to be an official?

there is something to gain when one holds a high post


bo chi-lay inar
not one shadow

business is bad


chay tiao p’ar barng 
sitting, swatting mosquitoes

business is bad


ch’ee chiao, kair-hoay liau
ch’ee hoo, kair-hoay p’oo

rear birds, property gone
rear fish, property floats

chi-kin, pay nniao
one kati, eight tahils

pot calling the kettle black


goo bo ch’oot lai chia ch’au ko
cow hasn’t yet come out to graze

secretive person holding a trump card


goo-nong too ch’it-chia
the cowherd meets the 7th Fairy

meeting once in a blue moon


kau hay-lay see, gia hay-lay kee
when the time comes, carry that flag

cross the bridge when you come to it


kay po, bo sin lo
busybody, no wages

a despised busybody

koay lor pun si  k’air
a passer-by is also guest

a welcome guest

knua-ch’ar mm see tay lau-larng   
knua-ch’a see tay see-larng
a coffin does not contain old men
a coffin contains dead men

even the young die

tio hock-li por   
to strike a Social Welfare Lottery ticket

very lucky;  to strike it rich

tn’ee kong bo go see larng
the lord of the Heavens does not allow man to starve to death

everyone has his own skills; do not despair

tng k’ar chn’ooi 
long backside

long winded; someone who gossips and doesn’t know when he should leave
 
 
Edelweiss
- the heritage house -
Armenian Street


for fine dining in a beautifully restored building
in the heart of George Town.


Telephone:  04 261 8935


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INDEX

Point to the article that you want to read, and CLICK

Index page   Baba sayings   Book Review   Food guide  The jungle war (6)  Letter from Pulau Tikus   MGG Pillai

The people's constitution (6)  Women's Centre for Change

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The Penang File Issue  47