kaypoh
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Borrowed from Hokkien 家婆 (ke-pô).
Pronunciation
Adjective
kaypoh (comparative more kaypoh, superlative most kaypoh)
- (Singapore, Malaysia, slang) Being a busybody, prying into the business of others.
- Synonym: nosy
- 2003 December 13, Kaypoh, “SIA air rage passenger ordered to pay diversion cost”, in soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):
- Hey hey two different matters okay? Our SM already paid so why you so kaypoh?
- 2007 March 26, Yeng Ai Chun, “A task for a ‘busybody’”, in The Star, Malaysia, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2 January 2019:
- “My elder sister and mother don’t like me doing this. They would scold me and say I’m kaypoh.
- 2007 October 6, William K. C. Kee, “My diva dog, Chai Chai”, in The Star, Malaysia, →OCLC, archived from the original on 3 January 2019:
- The slightest noise eg. me opening an envelope, will have him running up to investigate, being very kaypoh (nosey) by nature.
Noun
kaypoh (plural kaypohs)
- (Singapore, Malaysia, slang) A busybody.
- 2007 March 26, Yeng Ai Chun, “A task for a ‘busybody’”, in The Star, Malaysia, archived from the original on 2 January 2019:
- To get problems rectified, Lim who admits to being a “kaypoh” (busybody), would hassle the relevant authorities.
Verb
kaypoh (third-person singular simple present kaypohs, present participle kaypohing, simple past and past participle kaypohed)
- (Singapore, Malaysia, slang) To act as a busybody, to pry into the business of others.
- 2000, Hwee Hwee Tan, Foreign Bodies, →ISBN, page 236:
- I thought through every angle, then Jesus decides to kaypoh and mess everything up.
- 2014, Mānoa - Volume 26, page 38:
- Don't kaypoh so much. Locked door, not allowed to go inside, means don't go—understand?
- 2016, Jason Erik Lundberg, The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories, →ISBN:
- Puay Sim interrupted, clacking her chopsticks decisively over a slice of fried fish. “If you don't know them, don't kaypoh, Mum.
Further reading
Singlish vocabulary on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Baba Malay
Etymology
Noun
kaypoh