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Glite Dictionary
ang moh

ang moh

9.9
A word used in Singapore and Malaysia for a foreign person from Western countries
  • noun
  • Slur
translation icon : [término despectivo para persona blanca u occidental]
  • Many locals were curious about the new ang moh who moved into the neighborhood.

Examples

  • The ang moh picked up some common phrases in Malay to communicate better.

  • Many ang mohs visit Singapore during the holidays.

  • Despite being an ang moh, she quickly adapted to Singaporean customs.

  • The ang moh tourist took photos of the city.

  • Many locals were curious about the new ang moh who moved into the neighborhood.

  • Despite being an ang moh, she quickly adapted to Singaporean customs.

  • The ang moh picked up some common phrases in Malay to communicate better.

Surface Forms

ang moh singular
ang mohs plural

Morphology

ang + moh

This is a regional loanword from Hokkien (literally ‘red hair’) used in Singapore/Malaysia to mean a Westerner; the parts 'ang' and 'moh' are not English lexical items and provide no transparent compositional cue to an English B1 learner. Understanding the MWE requires knowledge of the source-language/cultural usage rather than derivation from English constituents, so it is idiomatic and unpredictable for learners.

Etymology

The noun ang moh may come from a word in a Chinese dialect that meant 'red hair'. ang means 'red' and moh means 'hair', a simple image locals used for pale or fair-haired Europeans. That's why today ang moh is used in Singapore and Malaysia to mean 'foreigner' or a 'Western person'.