暗牌

Chinese

		dark; gloomy; hidden dark; gloomy; hidden; secret	cards; game pieces; signboard cards; game pieces; signboard; plate; tablet
trad. (暗牌)		暗	牌
simp. #(暗牌)		暗	牌
Literally: “hidden badge”.

Etymology

Arising from the fact that detectives do not wear police uniforms in Malaysia and Singapore.

Pronunciation

• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): àm-pâi

  (Teochew, Peng'im): am³ bai⁵

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• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Penang, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: àm-pâi
    • Tâi-lô: àm-pâi
    • Phofsit Daibuun: armpaai
    • IPA (Singapore): /am²¹⁻⁴² pai²⁴/
    • IPA (Penang): /am²¹⁻³³ pai²³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: am³ bai⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: àm pâi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /am²¹³⁻⁵⁵ pai⁵⁵/

Noun

暗牌

1. (Malaysian and Singapore Hokkien, Teochew) detective

Synonyms

• 偵探／侦探 (zhēntàn)

References

• Chia, Caroline, Hoogervorst, Tom, editors (2021), “Chapter 5 Native Lexical Innovation in Penang Hokkien: Thinking beyond Rojak”, in Sinophone Southeast Asia: Sinitic Voices across the Southern Seas (Chinese Overseas: History, Literature, and Society; 20 [Open Access])‎^[1], Brill, →ISBN, page 176