kaypoh

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Min Nan 雞婆／鸡婆／家婆 (ke-pô, “to be a busybody; meddlesome”).

Adjective

kaypoh (comparative more kaypoh, superlative most kaypoh)

(Singapore, Malaysia, slang) Being a busybody, prying into the business of others.
- 2003 December 13, Kaypoh, “SIA air rage passanger ordered to pay diversion cost”, in soc.culture.malaysia, 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, Malaysia, OCLC 456245673, archived from the original on 2 Jan 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, Malaysia, OCLC 456245673, archived from the original on 3 Jan 2019:
  The slightest noise eg. me opening an envelope, will have him running up to investigate, being very kaypoh (nosey) by nature.
Synonym: nosy

Noun

kaypoh (plural kaypohs)

(Singapore, Malaysia, slang) A busybody.
- 2007 March 26, Yeng Ai Chun, “A task for a ‘busybody’”, in The Star‎, Malaysia, archived from the original on 2 Jan 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)

(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.