Dabao
da bao
Just Tell Me
Dabao means ordering food or a drink to be packed for takeaway instead of eating or drinking it at the stall.
Also called: da bao, tapao, ta pao
Explain Like I’m Five
If you dabao a meal, the stall packs it so you can carry it somewhere else. The word can describe the request, the act of buying takeaway or the packed food itself.
Where You’ll Run Into It
You will hear it at hawker centres, kopitiams and office lunch discussions. A stallholder may ask whether you are eating there or taking the order away.
Example
“One fishball noodles, dabao please.”
The customer wants the noodles packed to take away.
Watch Out
Dabao is casual local language. “Takeaway” or “pack this to go” is clearer in formal settings or when the listener may not know the term.
Sources
Related
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