Definitions
(Singapore) bumboat.
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(nautical, historical) A kind of light wooden boat used in the early 19th century to carry goods along rivers in Maritime Southeast Asia.
Tongkang means: A kind of light wooden boat used in the early 19th century to carry goods along rivers in Maritime Southeast Asia.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
tongkang means: A kind of light wooden boat used in the early 19th century to carry goods along rivers in Maritime Southeast Asia.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
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