Homepage| Teochew Nursery Rhymes | Condition of Use | Contact
Swan in the Sky | Pear Tree On Hilltop | Twelve Months | Six Dreams | Getting Married
Why It Can Sing? | Rock Rock Baby Ver1 | Rock Rock Baby Ver2 | Sky One Star | Chinese Zodiac | Fingerprints

A Swan in the Sky

1. In Romanised Teochew (without Tone Indicators)

Thi` ten zeg jiad go.
A ti u bou, a hia` bo.
A ti se` kia` kio tua ped.
Tua ped thia` tiod bo nai ho.
Siu kai pao kou kue Siam Lo.
Ai` kher Siam Lo khan ter ko.
U ziad, bo ziad, than thig tho.

“Siam Lo zun ai` khui.
Si zod chen nan bo lai tui.
Hai zui phiao phiao.
Pe bo zin hiao.
Lao phua bo chua.
Cher hen nan siao.”

2. In Romanised Teochew

Thi`₃ten₄ zeg₁₀ jiad₀₁go₁.

A₃ti₂ u₂₀bou₄, a₃hia`₃ bo₁.

A₃ti₂ se`₃ kia`₄ kio₅₄ tua₀ped₀.

Tua₀ped₀ thia`₃ tiod₁₀ bo₁₀ nai₂₀ho₁.

Siu₃ kai₁₀ pao₃kou₄ kue₅₄ Siam₁₀Lo₁.

Ai`₅₄ kher₅₄ Siam₁₀Lo₁ khan₃ ter3ko₃.

U₂₀ziad₁ , bo₁₀ziad₁ , than₅₄ thig₀₁tho₁.

“Siam₁₀Lo₁ zun₁ ai`₅₄ khui₃.

Si₄₂zod₁₀ chen₃nan₁ bo₁₀ lai₁₀tui₃.

Hai₄₂zui₄ phiao₃ phiao₃.

Pe₂₀bo₄ zin₃ hiao₃.

Lao₂₀phua₁ bo₁₀chua₀.

Cher₄₂hen₂ nan₁₀ siao₃.”

3. Direct Translation

Sky above one goose/swan.
Younger brother had wife, elder brother had not.
Younger brother begot child greeted elder paternal uncle.
Elder paternal uncle heard unbearable.
Packed a bag go across Siam. (old name for Thailand)
Wanted go Siam lead boar (on a leash)*.
Have eat, don’t have eat, earn leisurely travel.

“Siam ship about open/depart.
Died out relatives did not come chase.
Sea water drift drift.
Father mother real heartless.
Wife did not marry in.
That hatred difficult dissipate.”

4. Proper Translation

In the sky there was a swan.
Younger brother had a wife but elder brother had not.
Younger brother begot child who greeted elder paternal uncle.
Elder paternal uncle could not bear to hear it.
Packed his belongings to emigrate to Siam (old name for Thailand).
Wanted to emigrate to Siam to live a simple life*.
Whether have food or not, have enjoyment.

“Ship going to Siam is about to depart.
Curse the relatives for not coming to dissuade.
Sea water drifting by (i.e. ship is sailing).
(My) parents are really heartless.
Did not get (me) a wife.
That is difficult to forgive.”

5. Chinese Translation

天顶一只鹅
阿弟有女亩阿兄没
阿弟生子叫大伯
大伯听着没奈何
收个包裹过暹罗
要去暹罗牵猪豭
有食无食赚游乐

" 暹罗船要开
死绝亲人无来追
海水漂漂
父母真无情
老婆无娶
此恨难消 "

*In the old days, there was no artificial insemination for breeding pigs, and it was not cost-effective to keep boars as they do not bear piglets and their meat is not suitable for consumption due to very strong odour. So pig farmers hired boars to inseminate their sows. So there were people, often old bachelors, who kept a few boars each to provide this service. When such service was required, the old man would lead one of his boars to the farm to provide the service. Such work was simple but did not earn much.

Back to Teochew Nursery Rhymes

Condition of Use

While I try to ensure accuracy, users shall not hold me responsible for any inaccuracy or oversight.

©Copyright 2009, Tan Peng Boon, Singapore.
Access to this website is free, but copyrights are reserved, i.e. no one is permitted to copy material from this website without my written permission.

E-mail: Kindly e-mail your feedback and requests to pengboon1@yahoo.com.sg

back to top

Homepage