Get Vaccinated! (Singapore Teochew, 2021)

In 2021, the Lianhe Zaobao newspaper in Singapore produced a set of videos in five Chinese “dialects” commonly spoken in Singapore, where medical professionals who have received the vaccine explained the process for the general public. They were targeted at older persons who may be more comfortable in dialects than Mandarin or English. The languages were: Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, and Hainanese. The original article is here.

Below, we transcribe the Teochew video in Peng’im and characters, so that you can follow along and learn some Teochew!

The Teochew video is presented by Ms Janet Chong (鍾年珠), a nurse at the Singapore General Hospital. Pronunciation of some words is influenced by Mandarin or Hokkien; the standard Teochew pronunciations are listed in brackets beside the the original. Many thanks to Justin Leung for helping to fill in many gaps in the first version!


Dai6(7)gê1 ho2, ua2 si6(7) Sing1gia1bo1 Zhōngyāng Yīyùan[dong1iang1 ui1in7]-gai5(7) hùshì [hu6(7)se7]

大家 好, 我 是 新加坡 中央醫院 個 護士。

Hello everybody, I am a nurse at the Singapore General Hospital.


Ua2-gai5(7) mia5 si6(7) Janet Chong.

我個 名 是 Janet Chong.

my name is Janet Chong.


Ua2 in2(6)ging1 zu3(2)sia7 -liao guang1bên7 ig4(8)miao5,

我 已經 注射 了 冠病 疫苗,

I have been vaccinated against the [coronavirus] illness,


ing1ui5(7) ua2 ain3(2) bo2(6)hu6(7) ga1gi7 gah4(8) sing1bin1-gai5(7) nang5.

因為 我 愛 保護 家己 佮 身邊個 儂。

because I want to protect myself and the people around me.


zu3(2)sia7 ig4(8)miao5 ao6, ua2 gag4(8)dig4(8) sing1ti2 giang6(7)kong1 [giang6(7)kang1],

注射 疫苗 後, 我 覺得 身體 健康,

After receiving the vaccine, I felt healthy,


bho5(7) si6(7)mih4 hu3(2)zoh4(8)êng7 [hu3(2)zag4(8)êng7]

無 是乜 副作用。

and did not experience any side effects,


gang2(6)gag4(8) bang3(2)sing1 gah4(8) ang1zuang5 [ang1cuang5] zoi7 lou7.

感覺 放心 佮 安全 濟 𡀔。

and felt much safer and calmer.


Miang2(6) zai3(2) dam1sim1 ziab4(8)cug4(8)dioh8(4) huang6(7)bên7 bên7nang5,

免 再 擔心 接觸着 患病 病儂,

I don’t have to be worried about coming into contact with patients,


in2(6) gánrǎn[gam2(6)riem2(6)]-dioh8(4) bên7dag8.

以 感染着 病毒。

and becoming infected with the virus.


Sui1riang5(7) ziab4(8)zêng3(2) ig4(8)miao5 si6(7) ze6(7)[ng]uang6-gai7,

雖然 接種 疫苗 是 自願 個,

Although the vaccination is voluntary,


dang6(7) ziab4(8)zêng3 ao6, le2 siu6(7) gang2(6)lang7 gai5(7) hong1hiam2 si6(7) zing1zian3(2) zing1zian3(2) gai5(7) gê6.

但 接種 後,汝 受 感染 個 風險 是 真正 真正 個 下。

after receiving it, your risk of infection will be very much reduced.


Ru2(6) zoi7 nang5 ziab4(8)zêng3(2) ig4(8)miao5, bian7dag8 [bên7dag8] ziu6(7) ru2(6)zian3(2) gang1kou2 cuang7bo5 [tuang5(7)bua3].

愈 濟 儂 接種 疫苗,病毒 就 愈正 艱苦 傳播。

The more people receive the vaccine, the harder it will be for the virus to transmit.


Sing1ga1bo1 [Sing1gia1bo1] ziu6(7) nang5(7) dag8(4)dêg4(8) cuang5(7)kung5 gai5(7) miang2(6)êg8

新加坡 就 (能) 達得 全群 個 免疫。

Singapore can then achieve herd immunity.


Sing1gia1bo1 cong5(7) ging1ni5 kai1se2, koh8(4) long2(6)zong2 mua2(6) lag8(4)zab8(4)-huê7 gai5(7) gog4(8)nang5

新加坡 從 經年 開始,乞 攏總 滿 六十歲 個 國儂

This year, Singapore has started to offer every citizen aged 60 and above


miang2(6)hui3 zu3(2)sia7 ig4(8)miao5.

免費 注射 疫苗。

free vaccination.


Tu5(7)hui1 [de5(7)hui1] le2 si6(7) yùnfù [rêng6(7)hu6], u6(7) ngiam6(7)zong6(7) [ngiam6(7)dong6(7)] gai5(7) ming2(6)gam2,

除非 汝 是 孕婦,有 嚴重 個 敏感,

Unless you are pregnant, or have a serious allergy,


han5(7)si6(7) zing3(2)zai6(7) hua3(2)liao5 gah4(8) diang6(7)liao5,

還是 正在 化療 佮 電療,

or are currently receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy


dao2(6)zih4(8) [dao6(7)di3(2)] miǎnyìlì [miang6(7)ig4(8)lag8] zing1zian3(2) gê6,

導致 免疫力 真正 下,

which cause your immunity to be weakened,


na7si6(7) bho5, le2 zu6(7) oi6(7)sai2(6) zu3(2)sia7 ig4(8)miao5.

哪是 無,汝 就 會使 注射 疫苗。

If not [in those categories], you can receive the vaccine.


Lao6(7)nang5(7)gê1 goh4(8) u6(7) iu1siang1kuang5 ho.

老儂家 閣 有 優先權 好。

Old people also have priority.


Zing1zoi7 lao6(7)nang5(7)gê1 ru2(6) u6(7) san1-guin5:

真濟 老儂家 愈 有 三懸:

Many old people also have the three “highs”:


huêh4-guin5, dàn’gùchún guin5, gah4 din [diam5(7)]-rio7-bên7;

血懸、膽固醇 懸、佮 甜尿病;

high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes;

din - Hokkien pronunciation


ziu1sung3(2) zia2(6)gui2(6) mang7sêng3-gai5(7) bên7,

就算 者幾 慢性個 病,

even with these chronic illnesses,


han5(7)si6 sêg4(8)hab8(4) zu3(2)sia7 ig4(8)miao5.

還是 適合 注射 疫苗。

you can also receive the vaccine.


U6(7) gai5(7) nang5 dang1sim1 oi6(7) u6(7) hog4(8)zog4(8)êng7 [hu3(2)zag4(8)êng7].

有個 儂 擔心 會 有 副作用。

Some people worry about side effects.


Bho5(7)sui1 dam1sim1,

無需 擔心,

Don’t worry,


do1su3(2) gai5(7) hog4(8)zog4(8)êng7 [hu3(2)zag4(8)êng7] dou1u6(7) zing1zian2(6) kêng1ui5,

多數 個 副作用 都有 真正 輕微,

in most cases the side effects are very minor,


bi2(6)lu5(7) [bi2(6)ru5(7)]: gug4tao5 sng1tian3, zing1zian2 /sien¹¹/, han5(7)si6(7) huag4(8)sio1.

比如:骨頭 酸痛、真正 𤺪, 還是 發燒。

for example: aching bones, tiredness, or a fever.

/sien¹¹/ 𤺪 - Hokkien “tired”, “fatigued”. In Teochew, hêg8 乏 is more commonly used.


Siang6(7) gê1 gui2(6)rig8 zu6(7) bho5(7)se7 lou7.

上加 幾日 就 無事 𡀔。

It will be a few days at the most before you are well again.


I1sêng1 gah4(8) hu6(7)se6(7) oi6(7) do6(7) hiang7dion5 guang1cag4(8) le2 sa1zab8(4) hung1zêng1.

醫生 佮 護士 會 在 現場 觀察 汝 三十 分鐘。

Doctors and nurses will be at the scene to monitor you for thirty minutes [after vaccination].


Ziu6(7)suang3(2) zing1zian2 hang2(6)gin3 gai5(7) cug4(8)hiang7 mung7doin5,

就算 真正 罕見 個 出現 問題,

Even if rare problems do occur,


ma7-u6(7) yīliáo [i1liao5(7)] nang5(7)uang5 ma2(6)siong6(7) bang1zo6(7) le2.

嘛有 醫療 儂員 馬上 幫助 汝。

there will be medical personnel who will immediately assist you.


Zig8(4)dang3(2) le2 siu1dioh8(4) zêng3(2)hu2 gai5(7) tong1di1su1 [tong1di1ze1]

一旦 汝 收着 政府 個 通知書

The moment you receive the notification from the government


lung5(7)dioh8(4) le2 zu3(2)sia7 ig4(8)miao5

輪着 汝 注射 疫苗

that it is your turn to be vaccinated


le2 zu6(7) oi6(7)sai2(6) ki2(6)mong2(6) gao3(2) liang6(7)loh8(4)so2 yùyūe.

汝 就 會使 XX 到 聯絡所 預約。

you can go to the community centre to make an appointment.


Ua2 i2(6)ging1 zu3(2)sia7 liao3 ig4(8)miao5,

我 已經 注射 了 疫苗,

I have already been vaccinated,


ê6(7) zig8(4)-gai5 ziu6(7) lung2(6)dioh8(4) le2 lou1!

下一個 就 輪着 汝 𡀔!

soon it will be your turn!


Original content copyright (c) 2019-2021 Brandon Seah, except where otherwise indicated