Anatomy in Penang HokkienAnatomy in Penang Hokkien

Anatomy in Penang Hokkien is a list specially compiled for the benefit of doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners who are stationed in Penang and often have to speak to patients in Penang Hokkien. Other chapters created for medical professionals are Phrases for Doctors and Ailments & Treatments.

External Body Parts

  1. anus: (noun) kha3chnui3 khang1 [kha-tshuĩ-khaŋ]

  2. arm: (noun) chiu4 [tshiu]

  3. armpit: (noun) ke3tiak1 [kə-tiak] (Malay loanword)

  4. back: (noun) (torso) ka3ciak3 [ka-tsiak]

  5. beard: (noun) chiu1 [tshiu]

  6. belly: (noun) por1tor4 [pɔ-tɔ]

  7. bellybutton: (noun) tor3cai2 [tɔ-tsai]

  8. body: (noun) sing3ku1 [siŋ-ku] (torso)

  9. breast: (noun) leng1 [leŋ]

  10. buttocks: (noun) kha3chnui1 [kha-tshuĩ]

  11. cheek: (noun) chui1phe4 [tshui-phe]

  12. chest: (noun) sim3knua3thau1 [sim-kuã-thau]

  13. chin: (noun) chui1ae3tau4 [tshui-ɛ-au]

  14. crown: (noun) thau3khak1 wna4 [thau-khak-uã]

  15. ear: (noun) hee33ya4 [hi-ia] , hee33khang1 [hi-khaŋ]

  16. ear canal: (noun) hee33ya1 khang1 [hi-ia-khaŋ]

  17. eye: (noun) bat3ciu1 [bat-tsiu]

  18. eyebrow: (noun) bat3bai2 [bat-bai]

  19. eyelash: (noun) bat3bai3 mor2 [bat-bai-mɔ]

  20. face: (noun) bin33 [bin]

  21. finger: (noun) ja1li4 [dza-li] (Malay loanword), chiu1cai4 [tshiu-tsai]

  22. fingernail: (noun) cing1kak1 [tsiŋ-kak]

  23. forehead: (noun) hiak1 [hiak]

  24. hair: (noun) [head] thau3mor2 [thau-mɔ], [tha-mɔ]; [body] mor2

  25. hand: (noun) chiu4 [tsiu]

  26. head: (noun) thau2 [thau] , thau3khak3 [thau-khak], also pronounced [thɔ-khak]

  27. knee: (noun) kha3ta3uh1 [kha-ta-u]

  28. leg: (noun) kha1 [kha]

  29. lips: (noun) chui1tun2 [tshui-tun]

  30. moustache: (noun) chiu1chiu1 [tshiu-tshiu], nor33-paeh1 chiu1 [nɔ-phɛʔ-tshiu]

  31. mouth: (noun) chui3 [tshui]

  32. neck: (noun) a3mor1koon4 [a-mɔ-kun]

  33. nipple: (noun) tae3taek1 [tɛ-tɛk] (Malay loanword), naen3naen1 [nɛn-nɛn]

  34. nose: (noun) phni33kong4 [phĩ-kɔŋ]

  35. nostril: (noun) phni33khang1 [phĩ-khaŋ]

  36. shoulder: (noun) kin3thau2 [kin-thau]

  37. skin: (noun) phoe2 [phoe]

  38. thigh: (noun) pa3ha1 [pa-ha] (Malay loanword), kha3thui4 [kha-thui], thui4 [thui]

  39. throat: (noun) na3au2 [na-au]

  40. tongue: (noun) cik1 [tsik]

  41. tooth: (noun) chu1khee4 [tshu-khi] , geh2 [gɛ]

  42. waist: (noun) io [io]


The Genitalia

Both patients and doctors are often too embarrassed to talk about genitalia, but then again, a medical situation may make it unavoidable. As would be expected, these body parts are swear words in Penang Hokkien. It is perfectly acceptable to use stand-in terms or metonyms as a substitute.
The actual word for penis is lan3chiau4 [lan-tsiau] . As it is regarded as vulgar, the more acceptable word taught to children is ku3ku1ciau4 [ku-ku-tsiau] , though a commonly used stand-in name for it is sio1tee3 [sio-ti] (literally, "little brother").
The scrotum is called lan3pha1 [lan-pha] , the testicle is called the lan3pha3chee4 [lan-pha-tsi] . The testicles or "balls" are also known as hoot1 [hut] (as in, boh3 hoot1, meaning to have no guts, or "no balls"). The stand-in word for testicles is jee33-gor33*-ban33 [dzi-gɔ-ban] (literally, "250,000")
As for vagina, the actual word is also considered vulgar, so speakers of Penang Hokkien commonly say snaeh3knia1 peng2 [sɛ̃-kiã-peŋ] (literally "delivery area").

* Tone 3 unsandiable morphemes are written with the tone 33. For details, read unsandiable morphemes.

Internal Body Parts

  1. bladder: (noun) jio3tor3 [dzio-tɔ]

  2. bone: (noun) kut3 [kut]

  3. brain: (noun) nau4 [nau]

  4. heart: (noun) sim1 [sim] , sim3knua1 [sim-kuã]

  5. intestine: (noun) tor3 [tɔ] , tng2 [tŋ]

  6. kidney: (noun) io3chee4 [io-tsi]

  7. liver: (noun) knua1 [kuã]

  8. lungs: (noun) hooi3 [hui]

  9. pancreas: (noun) tnee3bak1keng1 [tĩ-baʔ-keŋ]

  10. skeleton: (noun) kut1thau2 [kut-thau]

  11. stomach: (noun) por1tor4 [pɔ-tɔ]

Bodily Fluids and Discharges

  1. blood: (noun) hoek3 [hoek]

  2. booger: (noun) (dried nasal mucus) 33khang3 sai4 [phĩ-khaŋ-sai]

  3. ear wax: (noun) hee3ya1 sai4

  4. eye-crust: (noun) bat3sai4 [bat-sai]

  5. fart: (noun) phooi3 [phui]

  6. mucous fluid: phni33 chooi4 [phĩ-tshui]

  7. mucus: (noun) phni33 [phĩ]

  8. phlegm: (noun) tham2 [tham]

  9. saliva: (noun) nua3 [nua]

  10. stool: (noun) (excrement) sai4 [sai]

  11. sweat: (noun) knua3 [kuã]

  12. urine: (noun) jio3 [dzio]

  13. vomit: (noun, verb) au4 [au]

View full list of Penang Hokkien Vocabulary

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