Hokkien, on the tongues of Tsinoys, has grown and evolved, taking on a life of its own.
Sometimes words simply fail us. With some creativity, Tsinoys have strung together words to form colorful phrases that simply hit the bull’s eye.
Here are some expressions unique to Hokkien as favored by Tsinoys.
| 跟鬼哭無爸 | kang kui k’ao bo pe | asking the ghosts for one’s father | a helpless case: seeking help from someone who doesn’t care |
| 近香燒無香 | kun hiun sio bue p’ang | near essence has no fragrance | failing to appreciate something or someone closer to home |
| 孔孔顛 | k’ong k’ong tian | swaying while walking | someone who seems to be wobbling or losing balance while walking, normally referring to a drunk person, a small child learning to walk or an old person. |
| 極空人 | kiak k’ang lang | an aloof person | a proud or aloof person |
| 吃桌 | tsia to | eating table | a Chinese lauriat celebrating a special occasion |