small mississy

Chinese Pidgin English

Etymology

Calque of Cantonese 小老婆 (siu2 lou5 po4, literally “small wife”).
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Why's it "mississy" and not "missy"? Did they get it from "missus"?”)

Noun

small mississy

  1. concubine

References
  • Gow, W. S. P. (1924) Gow’s Guide to Shanghai, 1924: A Complete, Concise and Accurate Handbook of the City and District, Especially Compiled for the Use of Tourists and Commercial Visitors to the Far East, Shanghai, page 109: “Waife, waifee: wife or mississy. Number one mississy; Number two mississy, etc., Small mississy: concubine (Lunde).”
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