kaypoh

English

Alternative forms

• kepo, kepoh

Etymology

Borrowed from Hokkien 家婆 (ke-pô).

Pronunciation

• (Singapore) IPA^(key): /ˌkeɪ ˈpo/, [keˑ˨ poː˨˦]

Adjective

kaypoh (comparative more kaypoh, superlative most kaypoh)

1. (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^[1] (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^[2], 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^[3], Malaysia, →OCLC, archived from the original on 3 January 2019:

     The slightest noise eg.^[sic] me opening an envelope, will have him running up to investigate, being very kaypoh (nosey) by nature.

Noun

kaypoh (plural kaypohs)

1. (Singapore, Malaysia, slang) A busybody.
   • 2007 March 26, Yeng Ai Chun, “A task for a ‘busybody’”, in The Star‎^[4], 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)

1. (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

From Hokkien 家婆 (ke-pô).

Noun

kaypoh

1. busybody

Further reading

• Baba Malay Dictionary