ninja van

English

Etymology

From ninja, referring to the way they stealthily appear + van.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnɪn.dʒə væn/

Noun

ninja van (plural ninja vans)

1. (Singapore, informal, military) A pop-up food van that appears during field training to sell food and drinks to soldiers.
   • 2010 September 9, “Hitler Finds Out about his NS Recognition Award: Comments”, in The Mr Brown Show‎^[1] (blog), retrieved 18 October 2017:

     When you are in the middle of a godforsaken exercise area, dying of heat and sick of combat rations, the Ninja Van with its supply of cold canned drinks, junk food, and beehoon is like seeing an oasis.

   • 2013 May 1, “Once in Our Life, Two Years of Our Time”, in Remember Singapore‎^[2] (blog), retrieved 18 October 2017:

     The arrival of the ninja van, with its fried bee hoon, nasi lemak and soft drinks, was perhaps the best consolation in an otherwise boring range where sections of trainees sat on long wooden benches waiting for their turns.

   • 2014 August 12, “I am going to Taiwan for NS! Advice please?”, in Reddit Singapore‎^[3] (site), retrieved 18 October 2017:

     Not sure if your unit/exercise involves you being in the mountains, but if it does, there are these food vans that we called "ninja vans", because they turn up out of nowhere; you don't find them, they find you.

   • 2015 September 25, Colin Tung, “Four hours of sleep is enough, there is never nothing to do: Ninja Van CEO”, in Yahoo! News‎^[4] (site), retrieved 18 October 2017:

     For any Singaporean who has been conscripted for National Service in the Singapore Armed Forces, the phrase ‘ninja van’ should immediately conjure up images of a pop-up food stall on wheels, stealthily appearing out in the field when tired bodies are in need of sustenance.

   • 2017 May 31, “Ninja Van: A snack-laden van which always shows up when we need it the most”, in SAFRA SG Instagram‎^[5] (blog), retrieved 18 October 2017:

     Stocked with snacks and drinks, the ninja van is a welcome sight for any soldiers doing outfield activities.

Usage notes

Commonly used by soldiers in the Singapore military. Low frequency of usage among the general public.