What is the actual meaning of "Wahlau"?

[Expiredyoghurt]

seldom hear ppl yell Wah Peh... in conversation maybe Wah eh lau peh or something...

btw now my turn to ask... anybody know What is the actual meaning of "Wah Piang"?

if i'm not wrong ... meaning of
wah lao = wah lan = wah piang

all the same .. only said differently ... so its more acceptable ...

 

[simon80]

Wah lau is only the opening pharse ..
most of the time .. more are added at the back :bsmilie:

 

[catchlights]

this one I am familair because in my younger days, my grandma did explain to me about this expression and I was told not to say it because of the significant.

In Hokkien term, "wah Lau" is oh my father, or to the married woman is, oh my hubby. In the old days, this cry was heard only in funeral and especially when the coffin was lowered to be burried, and the children will all scream, wah lau, wah lau, wah lau ...... as loud as possible so that the dead father/husband can hear who scream the loudest (he is supposed to be the most filial) .

So this cry was carried forward to those tattoo guys, and when they are in disagreement, the chief always scream, >>>> wah lau, lim peh (your father) yao beh si (not dead yet) li ko kau peh kau boh.........

So the younger generation actually does not understand this true meaning of this word, and in every instance they kau peh kau boh >>> wah lau eh...

Thinks this is the correct explanation, now I remember why always get scold when mention this words during young days, their so padang until that can’t mention the words “die”.

 

[Sion]

I went for a photo outing the other day, one photographer took out a "professional-looking" DSLR, the other one exclaimed "Wah Pro!".

I think "Wah Pro" will catch on in photographic community.

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

I went for a photo outing the other day, one photographer took out a "professional-looking" DSLR, the other one exclaimed "Wah Pro!".

I think "Wah Pro" will catch on in photographic community.

Same when going for model shoot... Wah Chio!

think photographers will have a few Wahs to use...

 

[HeWolf]

this one I am familair because in my younger days, my grandma did explain to me about this expression and I was told not to say it because of the significant.

In Hokkien term, "wah Lau" is oh my father, or to the married woman is, oh my hubby. In the old days, this cry was heard only in funeral and especially when the coffin was lowered to be burried, and the children will all scream, wah lau, wah lau, wah lau ...... as loud as possible so that the dead father/husband can hear who scream the loudest (he is supposed to be the most filial) .

So this cry was carried forward to those tattoo guys, and when they are in disagreement, the chief always scream, >>>> wah lau, lim peh (your father) yao beh si (not dead yet) li ko kau peh kau boh.........

So the younger generation actually does not understand this true meaning of this word, and in every instance they kau peh kau boh >>> wah lau eh...

Me too support this explanation. Likewise the Kau-Peh-Kau-Bu comes from the funeral scene.

As for the other variations:

Wah Piang (teo chiew style)
Wah Peh (teo chiew style)

Wah Saiz (from taiwan)
Wah Kao/Gao (from taiwan too)

Wah Lan (er...needless to say)

 

[moos blues]

would wa tiu fall under the same wa-s?

 

[yaoxing]

Litefoot is right. "Wah Lau eh" was refined from "Wah Lan eh" which used to be exclamations used only by hooligans and the uncouth folks back in the 70s.

Now it seems to be used even by parents on their kids and students in schools without knowing how this expression came about. There was a small newpaper article on the origin of "Wah Lau eh" by someone a few months ago.