Turkey, Hunchback, and Stinky Head — more on no-no names in Malaysia

A-giâu’s attempt at reconstructing some of the Sinitic names on Malaysia’s list of forbidden personal names (which I posted on yesterday) had me feeling a little guilty that I didn’t do more research on this. So I did some additional digging and came up with an article that listed some of the Hanzi (Chinese characters).

Here are the Sinitic names, as given in the article (see ref. below). I’ve added romanization in Pinyin and approximate English translations. A few of these, though, have me perplexed. What, for example, is so bad about Hor Kianh (??)?

Hoklo/Hokkien/Taiwanese

source’s romanization Hanzi Romanization in Pinyin (Mandarin) English translation
Ah Chwar 阿蛇 Ā Shé Snake
Ang Mor 紅毛 Hóngmáo Westerner (figuratively; literally: “red hair”)
Heoy Kay 火雞 Huǒjī Turkey
Hor Kianh 虎仔 Hǔzi Tiger
Khiow Koo 駝背 Tuóbèi Hunchback
Tok Sim 毒心 Dúxīn Evil Mind
Tua Pooi 大肥 Dà Féi Fatty
Tua Bug 大目 Dà Mù Big Eyes

Cantonese

source’s romanization Hanzi Romanization in Pinyin (Mandarin) English translation
Ai Chai 矮仔 Ǎizi Dwarf
Chow Kow 臭狗 Chòu Gǒu Smelly Dog
Chow Tow 臭頭 Chòu Tóu Stinky Head
Sor Chai 傻仔 Shǎzi Fool
Kou Lou 高佬 Gāo Lǎo Tall Devil
Tai Ngan 大眼 Dà Yǎn Big Eyes
Soh Low 傻佬 Shǎ Lǎo Stupid Imp
Tai Yee 大耳 Dà Ěr Big Ears

Mandarin

source’s romanization Hanzi Romanization in Pinyin (Mandarin) English translation
Ar Loo 阿驢 Ā Lǘ Donkey
Hwai Sze 壞死 Huàisǐ Bad Death
Chang Chee 娼妓 Chāngjì Prostitute
Ho Sze 猴子 Hóuzi Monkey
Sun Choo 山豬 Shānzhū Wild Boar
Tha Thaw 大頭 Dàtóu Wastrel, Silly Person (lit. “Big Head”)
Chue Sze 豬仔 Zhūzi Piggy
Sze Kwee 死鬼 Sǐguǐ Devil

source: Jiazhang wèi háizi qumíng xuzhi: Agou, Jizi, A-Zhuàng jìn yòng (????????? ????????), China Press (Malaysia), July 30, 2006

One thought on “Turkey, Hunchback, and Stinky Head — more on no-no names in Malaysia

  1. Thanks, Mark, for the nice dig.

    I am relieved the much-maligned “LP” has managed to evade this registry. There is hope yet for parents who would like to endow their boys with a dose of nativist masculinity.

    On a lighter note, I think China Press needs to brush up on its Hanzi for regionalects. ??, for example, is clearly a Mandarin gloss for “khiau-ku” (or Khiow Koo); the latter is apparently not a cognate.

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