limpeh

Borrowed from Hokkien 恁爸／林北 (lín-pē, “I; me”, literally “your father”), specifically Singapore Hokkien 恁爸 (lím-pē, “I; me”, literally “your father”).

bor

lim peh (alternative)
limpei (alternative)

Limpeh run faster than you, hor.

Limpeh always see those AH BENGS drive the CiBIC SiR (Ah-re) around with their big spoiler and so many uglweee stickers.

1999 October 29, Ken Tan, sg.marketplace:

Lim peh tell you something – dis year mindef kaciau lim peh, disrupt lim peh eh work flow, now still owing lim peh some marney due to some technicality.

1999 November 23, Sophus Lefouque, sg.marketplace:

Yes, you are very right, you are very sharp! Limpeh like your idea!

2002, Jack Neo, I Not Stupid, spoken by Mr Khoo (Richard Low), Singapore: Mediacorp Raintree Pictures:

Lim peh ask you last time study hard become scorer, win scorer ship go Harvoc University, you nebber lisen.

2011 January 11, Singrish King, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

Limpeh is honoured that my blog has been recently featured by the king of all Singaporean bloggers – Mr Brown.

2011 November 7, LIFT: Limpeh Is Foreign Talent:

Welcome to economics 101 with Limpeh. Allow me to break down the concept of round-tripping to you in the most simple way in my kitchen.

2013, williamlaukl@gmail.com, "https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/%22limpeh%22/ot-email-group/nIK7LscVJM8/MmcxrQBJ2IUJ", ot email group, 18 September 2013

Come over to limpeh, come over to limpeh. Do you understand what limpeh is saying? If yes say yes, if no say no. Don’t tell limpeh "yes no yes no".

2013, ShiGGa Shay, “Limpeh (ft. Tosh Rock)”, in LimPeh (feat. Tosh Rock) - Single:

(Singapore, Singlish, informal, condescending, impolite) A reference to oneself in the third person, taking on the stance of a superior.


ah neh

ah nehs (plural)
ahneh (alternative)
ah-neh (alternative)
anneh (alternative)

A semantic extension from Tamil அண்ணன் (aṇṇaṉ, “elder brother”).

2001 8 August, Leo, soc.culture.singapore
Blame the Ah-Neh race again, just like what they did to the former president who is now in Canada.

some 'ah-neh' stole my hp! not tt i'm a racist but i saw this indian or dunno bhangra walking near me on the way to the mrt stn and din realise tt i lost my hp till i got on the train at jurong east to look for it.

2006 August 24, Susan Ong, pesspgde_05/06_yr2:

Well, the locals who contributed to the current prosperity of Singapore, who sacrificed their most productive years to serve the army, who allowed their kampong homes to be acquired by the government, etc etc, are being slowly sidelined in favor of the foreigners -- ah nehs, ah bengs, ah pinoys and others.

2010 October 19, The Cynic, soc.culture.singapore:

My SIL had the POLICE visiting her home bcos of ah neh wash. Apparently the ah neh is an overstayer. And the police track all the ah neh's HP contacts and got to her house. Luckily BIL was clever and said they were enquiring only but never engage ah neh service.

2011 November 11, Hiphiphoray, MyCarForum:

2013 31 January, ColdBlooded, soc.culture.singapore
But what will happen when these ahnehs flee Singapore when they are asked to do NS?

We dont owe the ah neh a career or life here. They come in with their discriminatory practices and think the sinkies owe them these privileges.

Oh, and if you hear people (like your colleagues for example) refer to "that ah neh", they could be referring to you. It's a derogatory term.

"Upsize or not?" The crew member asked, but the Ah neh still give that blur look, so the crew member decide for him.

2015 May 11, Farhan, All Singapore Stuff:

(Singapore, colloquial, slang, derogatory, ethnic slur) An Indian man, especially a migrant worker.


guai lan

en-adj

guai lan (comparative more guai lan, superlative most guai lan)

more guai lan (comparative)
most guai lan (superlative)
kwai lan (alternative)

[ˈk˭waɪ˦˨ lɑn˨]

Derived from Hokkien 怪𡳞 (koài-lān, literally “strange dick”).

I'd say it's the "kwai lan" (gangster) look.

1999 May 23, “The Loanshark Look”, in The New Paper, Singapore:

you so guai lan for wat

2003 July 21, Z-Bone, “Triple X Carsticker”, in Google Groups:

damn guai lan..cannot take it..

2005 August 3, Joleen Lim, “guai lan”, in Blogspot, archived from the original on 2017-02-02:

Tribute to my “guai lan” friend!

2013 March 20, JeevS GOne, “Oppa Guai Lan Style (Oppa Gangnam Style Parady)”, in YouTube:

After all these years, the bugger still had the same kwai lan air he had even when he was fifteen.

2013 September 3, The Marijuana Chronicles, Singapore:

(Singlish, informal, colloquial) Hard to please or satisfy; irritating, loathsome.


sia suay

sia suay (comparative more sia suay, superlative most sia suay)

more sia suay (comparative)
most sia suay (superlative)
xia suay (alternative)

Most of those who sing these songs are too drunk to be stopped. Sia suay (Hokkien for bringing shame to the entire clan) only.

1989 November 2, “From love songs to 'pai kia' tune. Karaoke is BIG business.”, in The Straits Times, Singapore:

Later so sia suay lah

2000 November 9, Daniel S, “Is YOUNG MING married???”, in Google Groups, Singapore:

GUys, cannot break up like this SO SIA SUAY!

2011 February 14, peebrain, “~FUNNY ~ 阿莲Ah Lianz break up with Ah Beng 阿成. On Valentine Day cos he nebber listen up!”, in YouTube Video, Singapore:

Xiaxue not so 'sia suay' after all?

2015 March 23, S M Ong, “Xiaxue not so 'sia suay' after all?”, in The New Paper, Singapore, archived from the original on 2015-03-25:

(Singapore, Singlish) Causing embarrassment or disgrace to others.


sia suay

Kenna hantam until nothing to say in the old thread then start a new one to get ppl oin your side without your old posts to sia suay you.

2007 November 21, Daniel S, “Only Queen's English.... in this forum..Singlish is banned ?!”, in Google Groups, Singapore:

Sending such ugly women to international pageants will "sia suay" Singaporeans.

2000 December 4, vignette, “Singapore Miss World SUCKS!!”, in Google Groups, Singapore:

In other words, I think what Mr Ha means is that Xiaxue had “sia suay” their industry.

(Singapore, Singlish) To disgrace; to cause embarrassment for others.


sarpork

en-verb

sarpork (third-person singular simple present sarporks, present participle sarporking, simple past and past participle sarporked)

sarporks (present singular third-person)
sarporking (participle present)
sarporked (participle past)
sarporked (past)

Respelling of English support to indicate Singlish pronunciation. Compare Cantonese 十卜 (sap6 pok1).

As long as she is happy, I will support her or should I say SARPORK!!

2007 14 October, Denny Koh, “I ish Sarpork!!”, in Honey-den (blog), Singapore, retrieved 2016-03-30:

They quite poor ting what. If can sarpork, sarpork lor…If can give, give.

2009 20 January, TehJarVu, “Mouth & Foot Painting Artists' Greeting Cards”, in Sgforums (forum), retrieved 2016-03-25:

Dont sarpork fake ramen shop in sg like ramen-ten, ramenplay, ken noodle house, also ippudo, ajisen, tampopo are still ok but getting more and more china-fied.

2010 21 April, TheMasquerade, “Best ramen in Singapore”, in Hardwarezone Forum (forum), retrieved 2016-03-26:

2011 25 November, Eyke, “Pls sarpork Singapore Children's Society Fundraising!”, in My car forum (forum), retrieved 2016-03-23:

Only one day left. Can one la! I shall mentally sarpork you! Hehe!

2012 22 October, Koh Jing De, Twitter (Twitter), retrieved 2016-03-26:

Someone who thinks he/she has a sense of humour. Yes, we sarpork you too.

2014 3 June, Martino Tan, “Check out some of the names who contributed to CPF blogger’s $72k crowdfunded legal fees”, in Mothership.SG (online), retrieved 2016-03-27:

Even if they don't win the champion, I'll still sarpork and love them!!!

2014 14 July, Joanne Ng, “Germany is MY Champion!!!”, in Joanne-says.com (blog), retrieved 2016-03-25:

Should we sarpork such a person and vote him into Parliament?

2015 6 June, BabuSingh, “Should we sarpork LTK given that he twisted facts about Punggol East TC account?”, in SgTalk forum (forum), retrieved 2016-03-25:

Wa chio bu alert must sarpork!

2015 9 October, Tong Cai Sheng, “All Singapore Stuff's Timeline”, in Facebook (Facebook), retrieved 2016-03-25:

I never watch long long time ago but my Tutee is acting in LLTA2 and his mum just asked me to go for the GALA tmr to sarpork him.

2016 22 March, Himeko Ong, Twitter (Twitter), retrieved 2016-03-25:

(transitive, Singapore, informal) To provide encouragement or to stand by someone or something.


gian peng

en-adj

gian peng (comparative more gian peng, superlative most gian peng)

more gian peng (comparative)
most gian peng (superlative)
giam png (alternative)

[ɡiɛn⁴² pŋ̍²²]

Romanization from Hokkien 癮飯 /瘾饭 (giàn pn̄g, “greed for rice”), from 癮 /瘾 (giàn, “a craving for something”) + 飯 /饭 (pn̄g, “rice”).

1998 May 29, Drew, “Hello” Ticket for sales , Google Groups https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/gian$20peng/sg.marketplace/zzfTmuj0n74/ZpX3K7N4zRkJ
wah lau, you damn 'gian peng'.singtel give free, you want to sell.

2009 August 27, FeedMeToTheFish,, SGian Png" Temasek Needs Retail Investors? , blog entry http://feedmetothefish.blogspot.sg/2009/08/gian-png-temasek-needs-retail-investors.html
For the benefit of those who do not understand the Hokien dialect, "Gian Png" literally means "hungry for rice" or if I may, "needs more money to survive".

2015 September 30, Snap Snap Eat Editor, Snap Snap Eat , online http://www.snapsnapeat.com/uncategorized/gian-peng-tips-best-credit-cards-in-singapore/
The author is a very Gian Peng person always eyeing for promotions, freebies, etc.

2015 December 27, Timothy Tan, HardwareZone:Channel 8 news show the gian peng gian sai people.. , online http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/channel-8-news-show-gian-peng-gian-sai-people-5268127.html
If you not so gian peng, you no need to wait the 15 minutes... See that auntie / uncle use lame excuse to say like they die die must wait 15 minutes….

(Singlish, derogatory) Greedy and always on the lookout for cheap deals and freebies.


lauyah

lauyah (comparative more lauyah, superlative most lauyah)

more lauyah (comparative)
most lauyah (superlative)
lau yah (alternative)

It's not that becoz their servers are lauyah, it's becoz some TMnet staffs maintain some "kind" of attitude that makes the customers mad.

1998, Nicky, "https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/tmnet.communities/lauyah/tmnet.communities/1aiMtuiQ3Rs/YqJQ7qhLZZEJ", tmnet.communities, 12 Feb


paktorlogy

paktology (alternative)
paktohlogy (alternative)

Paktology: the name of the dating game, from “pak tor” (Cantonese) to “go steady, smooch and whatever turns you on”. https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=cM3hBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT24&lpg=PT24&dq=paktology&source=bl&ots=HerE0jTxM&sig=PsE1zlaXjnwNKkw1cO1jSHp610E&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi16YK8jvTLAhULUY4KHcTZAOg4ChDoAQgjMAM#v=onepage&q=paktology&f=false

2010, Sylvia Toh Paik Choo, The Complete Eh, Goondu!:

2012, June 14, Jia Yiing Ho, Paktology Lesson 1: Communication, blog entry
I welcome you to be my Paktology coursemate via email http://jiayiing87.blogspot.sg/2012/06/paktology-lesson-1-communication.html

2015, February 13, Unnamed, First Vday together? Then stay away from These 5 Movie types, online
Years of research in the scientific field of 'paktohlogy' have shown that horror movies are the best to watch on a date. http://www.hitz.fm/Features/Trendings/Trending-on-hitz/First-Vday-Together-Then-Stay-Away-from-These-5-Mo

2016, May 9, Gwee Li Sui, SinGweesh on Wednesday: Horrigible, online
So “paktorlogy” is the science of courtship – simple, right? https://web.archive.org/web/20160410201423/http://themiddleground.sg/2016/03/09/singweesh-22-horrigible/

(Singapore, colloquial, humorous) the study of dating, courtship.


kee siao

kee siao (comparative more kee siao, superlative most kee siao)

more kee siao (comparative)
most kee siao (superlative)
ki siao (alternative)

[kʰiː˨˦ sjaʊ˦˨]

From Hokkien 起痟 (khí-siáu, “to go mad”).

1999, September 7, Panda on Skates, Singlish Poem, Google Groups
Teacher mark your paper also kee siao. http://www.sgexposed.com/2013/02/singapore-sleaze-da-lu-music-lounge.html

"He's a kee siao guy," Ridhuan said. https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=sGZKAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT535&dq=kee+siao&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGtIui8PbLAhWEGo4KHVOQA4UQ6AEIGzAA#v=onepage&q=kee%2520siao&f=false

2015, March 7, limteh, Singapore is a big prison…, forum
that's why many getting kee siao...http://sgtalk.org/mybb/Thread-Singapore-is-a-big-prison

“Wah piang! I’m shocked, are these Japanese kee siao or what?” said Mrs Elaine Ong, a mother of two from Sungei Kadut.

2015 July 7, “Japanese AV industry turns to Singapore to find new male talent”, in The Batty Post, archived from the original on 2016-03-30:


paiseh

paiseh (comparative more paiseh, superlative most paiseh)

more paiseh (comparative)
most paiseh (superlative)
pai say (alternative)
pai seh (alternative)

[ˌpʰaɪ˨˦ ˈse˨˩]

From Hokkien 歹勢／歹势 (phái-sè, “embarrassed”).

We say sorrysorrysorry to make sure we are: / So pai say, we have to repeat two, three times; ..

2000, Leong Liew Geok, “Forever Singlish”, in Women without Men, Singapore, page 130:

‘So paiseh because everyone is staring.’

2001 June 17, Karamjit Kaur, The Straits Times, Singapore:

I know I’m not their teacher, but I still feel pai seh not giving enough attention. If children are approaching me, it’s either because they think I’m accessible, or their teachers for some reason send them my way. If I don’t respond, they’ll think I’m sombong (Malay for “proud”), and then how?

2006 August 13, Colin Goh, The Straits Times, Singapore:

Remember when we first met? My husband's underwear fell into your backyard. So paiseh to come down and ask you.

2009, Jean Tay, Boom, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act I, scene x, page 45:

(Singlish, Manglish) Embarrassed; humiliated; shy


paiseh

[ˌpʰaɪ˨˦ ˈse˨˩]

pai say (alternative)
pai seh (alternative)

(Singlish, Manglish, intransitive) To be ashamed and reluctant; to be shy or embarrassed.


paiseh

[ˌpʰaɪ˨˦ ˈse˨˩]


laoya

laoya (comparative more laoya, superlative most laoya)

more laoya (comparative)
most laoya (superlative)
lau yah (alternative)
lauyah (alternative)

From Hokkien 老爺／老爷 (lāu-iâ, “old-fashioned”).

I noticed standards here are super duper laoya.

2006, missqi, "http://sgforums.com/forums/12/topics/194857?page=2", sgforums, 12 June 2006

I tried their sample cleanser, my face was popping pimples like mad and their nail polish, so laoya! So I thought their products very lousy...

2010, lurvecakes, "http://singaporemotherhood.com/forum/threads/2007-03-march-2007-mtbs.521/page-3848", SingaporeMotherhood Forum, 9 June 2010

My Hokkien definitely cannot make it. Very laoya. Haha!

2010, mmqq, "http://singaporemotherhood.com/forum/threads/2007-03-march-2007-mtbs.521/page-3912", SingaporeMotherhood Forum, 11 July 2010

Her eyes flashed defiantly, then moisted over as she sobbed, “Men are really very suay. My laoya husband has sold away our precious child!”

2012, The Amah Story, "http://www.singaporememory.sg/contents/SMB-cd8d1482-0ff1-4e5d-984b-1617ef528eae", Singapore Memory, 4 July 2013

My school closed down already. My wife's school also sibei laoya one. Sigh.

2013, lala91, "http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2649824-any-bro-from-hokkien-huay-kuan/page-4", MyCarForum, 4 July 2013

At first, I thought is my laoya computer got problem because I keep getting disconnected or server error messages since Friday.

2014, no987654321, "http://www.viwawa.com/forums/event-i-m-a-true-gunner.28736.html&page=10", Viwawa Forum, 11 July 2010

(Singapore, informal) Lousy; useless; worthless.


lau yah

lau yah (comparative more lau yah, superlative most lau yah)

more lau yah (comparative)
most lau yah (superlative)
lauyah (alternative)

Well I made noise with ANZ corporate and two managers replied saying sorry, they don't have the information and will get back to me again. Gee, so lau yah man ANZ!

2011, dintigger, "http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/credit-cards-line-credit-facilities-243/unsuccessful-credit-card-application-wtf-3260943-2.html", HardwareZone Forum, 12 June 2011


swee

head

swee (comparative more swee, superlative most swee, reduplicated swee swee)

more swee (comparative)
most swee (superlative)
swee swee (reduplication)

From Hokkien 媠 (súi, “pretty”). Compare Tagalog yasuwi.

When it comes to charity, Irene will make sure everything is ‘swee swee’ (Hokkien for perfect).

2011 April 3, Yeoh Wee Teck, quoting Harry Yew, The New Paper, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited, pages 10–11:

“Sweee!” and “Gooaaal!” That’s the familiar cry heard throughout the neighbourhood. It’s English Premier League and there’s no greater equaliser ground than the kampung coffeeshop in uniting Singapore’s football fans and followers.

2014 January 26, Sylvia Toh Paik Choo, The Sunday Times, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited, page 3:

(Singlish) Great, neat, nice, excellent (often used as an interjection when something has gone smoothly).


tahan

"Many local artists cannot tahan me," he says, using the Malay word for "tolerate". "If you live next to Picasso, can you tahan or not?"

2017, Wong Kim Hoh, It Changed My Life: What Tan Swie Hian wants - a free mind, The Sunday Times:

2017, Zhangxin Zheng, Here’s why you shouldn’t be alarmed by pictures of “flooding” in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Mothership.sg
The 3.2km meandering naturalised river at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park used to be a 2.7 km long straight concrete Kallang channel in the past, which would not otherwise have been able to tahan as much rainwater as it now does.

If you’re buying a new car, especially a better one than your previous, it’s gonna be able to tahan your need for speed. Step on the pedal only la, why so kancheong?

2017, 8 Things Malaysians Immediately Do When They Get a New Car... Which One Have You Done?, CILISOS (Current Issues Tambah Pedas)

(colloquial, Malaysia, Singapore) To endure; to bear.


chicken feet

(Singapore, erroneous) Alternative form of chicken feed (“A simple or easy task”).


any old how

(Singlish) Synonym of anyhow (“random; done without thought or consideration”).


Maggi

en-noun

Maggi (countable and uncountable, plural Maggis)

Genericized from the name of the company and product, which was named after Swiss entrepreneur Julius Maggi.

named-after

“So, how was your day?”“Good”, [Ada] said, “I slept, I ate Maggi for lunch and watched my Shahrukh’s RNBDJ”
“Surinder Sahni?” [Aarav] laughed, “nice movie isn’t it?”
“Amazing!”

2021, Syed Arshad, If It's Not Love, Blue Rose Publishers, page 132:

(India, Manglish, Singlish) Any type of instant noodles.


pondan

(Singapore, Singlish) Transvestite, ladyboy


aiyo

[ˌaɪ(˦)˨ ˈjoʊ˨˦˧]

Mainly borrowed from Tamil ஐயோ (aiyō) and Sinhalese අයියෝ (ayiyō). Common in Dravidian languages; compare Telugu అయ్యో (ayyō), Kannada ಅಯ್ಯೋ (ayyō), Malayalam അയ്യോ (ayyō), Tulu ಅಯ್ಯೋ (ayyō). Alternatively from Chinese 哎喲 /哎哟 (āiyō) in Malaysia and Singapore.

'Are you crying for your father?' 'Aiyo, aiyo!' wailed the girl. 'I shall never see him again!'

Aiyo! aiyo! My little Podi Sinho!

1913, L. Woolf, Village in Jungle ii. 28:

'Aiyo its our Kalu' they all cried.

1971, Fashion Panaroma (Ceylon) Apr. 31:

Aiyo! Never thought our beloved principal will come to this end.

1982, R.K. Narayan, Tiger for Malgudi (1984) 119:

Aiyow! I don't know how I got the compulsion to say all that. But I really did.

1985, Pao Kun Kuo, The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole, →ISBN:

Vijaya touched Rajam's forehead and exclaimed, Aiyo. She is running very high temperature.

2009, S. Manickavasagam, Power of Passion 218:

(South India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, informal) Expressing distress, regret, fear


zhng

From Hokkien 裝 /装 (chng). Spelling influenced by Mandarin Pinyin.

Go zhng 'em laptops.

2010 November 10, HackerspaceSG (Usenet):

(Singapore, colloquial, transitive) To modify (a gadget or vehicle).


pa chew cheng

[ˈpʰa˦˨ t͡ʃʰjuː˦ t͡sʰeŋ˩]

From Hokkien 拍手銃 /拍手铳 (phah-chhiú-chhèng, literally “to shoot or fire one’s gun”).

bor

pak chiu cheng (alternative)
pak chew cheng (alternative)
pah chiu cheng (alternative)
PCC (alternative)

2001, Anonymous, Worst Job in Singapore, Google Groups, 07 Aug (online).
In Hokkien it is of course to pa chew cheng or to fire the handgun and in psycho young bates is of course to master-bate, a deliberate choice of name.

2004, 2004Lancer, sgforums.com: WARNING:- To Those Who Par Chew Cheng (masturbate) Alot!!!, sgforums.com, 09 Sep (online).
Guys....try not to pa chew cheng too much ok....

2009, Balderdash, gssq.blogspot.sg: On "Pah Chiu Cheng" (PCC), and its feminine equivalent, Blogspot.sg, 16 Aug (online).
For some reason, I was wondering the other day what the female equivalent of pah chiu cheng (to masturbate aka pak ciu ceng aka pak chew cheng aka PCC) was.

2010, Bald Eagle, Papist in no win against Alan Shadrake, Google Groups, 02 Aug (online).
In Singapore, justice is like call girl, got money got justice, no money no justice, use plenty sarboon (soap) to pak chew cheng.

2015, Benson, Sgclub.com forum, 04 Jul (online).
M'sian man pah chiu cheng, PCC, into a hotel female's staff water bottle.

2017, Chuichi Koshiramaru, sgforums.com, What stands for PCC?, 15 Feb (online).
Someone just told me it's to pak chiu cheng, meaning 'to masturbate'.

(Singapore, colloquial) Of a man: to masturbate.


paktor

[ˈpʰɑʔˈtʰɔː]

Borrowed from Cantonese 拍拖 (paak³ to¹, “to date, or be dating someone”).

He adds that he goes there with his children once every two months. "A lot of memories. First time I paktor (dated) with my wife was there."

1994 November 20, “The scattering of Satay Club”, in The Straits Times (Leisure), page 32:

Some youngsters paktor with girlfriends also stroll slowly across the roads.

1998 November 7, tcbeez, “Eyes sore at traffic light junction”, in soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

When Miss Doris Low and Mr Bobby Chua were 'paktor-ing' (dating) they ate at the carpark stalls at least twice a week.

2004 July 10, “Nostalgia? More like costalgia' to me”, in The New Paper (Singapore), page 10:

Spending time with the family will always be important. We want to paktor (meaning "go dating" in Cantonese) too.

2014 June 11, “Having a backup fund for retirement”, in My Paper(Singapore), page A18:

My wife joins me whenever I train, so it's our time to paktor ("go dating" in Cantonese).

2015 May 5, “DOING GOOD IN THE LONG RUN”, in The New Paper (Singapore), page 17:

That shares the spotlight with Lautner, who plays Cam, a bicycle courier looking to "paktor" (Cantonese slang for "court") with parkour hottie Nikki (Marie Avgeropoulos).

2015 February 27, “Parkour caper is purely a star vehicle for Lautner”, in The Business Times (Singapore), page 37:

(Singapore, Malaysia, informal) To go out on a date with someone whom one is romantically involved with.


diu lei

From Cantonese 屌你 (diu² nei⁵, “fuck you”).

diu nei (alternative)
diu lay (alternative)

You impudent muppet, diu lay! You may be able to hoodwink people over in the UK, but not those of us over here.

1996 April 18, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

Btw, finally saw fat fat here....wahahaha. Diu nei, plane last time.

But I'm like Diu lei sit your ass back down.

Diu Lei, koki, can you don't send food link before bed time?

“操你老妈啊 (diu nei lok mo ah)!” I shouted in Cantonese.

2011, Foo Yin Tung, The Right Mistakes: My Life As A Singapore Gangster, →ISBN, page 198:

“Yes! Hantu! Ghots! Mangroves and snakes! Mong! Stupid! Diu lei loh mo! F ... your mother! That is why it has been chosen; and the name Hantu helps keep people away. Probably like you they fear the devil,” said Ah Cheong, hurling more expletives at his underling before returning back to the house.

2012, Chan Ling Yap, Bitter-Sweet Harvest: A sequel to the acclaimed and well-loved Sweet Offerings, →ISBN:

“Diu lei chau hai ge mo, fuck your smelly mother's cunt,” Spencer said under his breath and belted the bloody skull with his foot, sending splatters of tissue and bone flying around the room.

2015, Valerie Goldsilk, Classified As Crime, →ISBN:

(colloquial Hong Kong, Singlish, vulgar) Fuck you.


internet brigade

the internet brigade (canonical)
(PAP) IB (alternative)

/ˈɪntənɛt bɹɪˈɡeɪd/

/ˈɪn(t)əɹˌnɛt bɹɪˈɡeɪd/

Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if you're just another one of the PAP internet brigade.

2008 October 21, jeff goh, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

This so-called “PAP Internet Brigade” was also accused of creating multiple monikers in various internet forums such as the once-popular Sammyboy Alfresco Coffeeshop forum and disrupting threads critical of the PAP by engaging in flame wars, personal attacks, defamatory statements, and impersonations.

2009 January 11, “Has the PAP Internet Brigade lost its teeth?”, in Sgpolitics, archived from the original on 2016-05-29:

Some of these comments could be done deliberately by people in the "Internet brigade" with the sole intention of creating trouble for Alex Au.

2013 January 5, TheInquirer, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

The papist Leegime has an internet brigade that wrack havoc on the internet. They disrupt discussion, sending virus to critics, downing websites critical of the government and very often posting rubbish and plain lies.

2014 June 8, Harry, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

It is known that there are a bunch of people whom we know as the PAP Internet Brigade (IB) who act as insurgents to spread the PAP’s propaganda and attack the opposition and activists online (this was reported in The Straits Times in 2007).

2016 July 7, Ng E-Jay, “Internet brigade continue to game Facebook's algorithm to get activists banned and censored”, in The Independent (Singapore):

Like China, the Singapore government activated a team of internet brigade to defend Lee Hsien Loong’s embarrassing interview featured on BBC Facebook page.

2017 March 1, “Government hires internet brigade to defend Lee Hsien Loong on BBC Facebook”, in States Times Review, Singapore: States Times Review, archived from the original on 2017-11-02:

Saying ‘PAP IB’ is the most common and fastest insult. The moment you disagree, you become a PAP IB.

2021 August 7, “IN FOCUS: ‘Boomer, snowflake, oppie, pappie’ - unpacking the growing social media polarisation in Singapore”, in Channel NewsAsia, Singapore: Chanmel NewsAsia, retrieved 2023-12-21:

(Singlish, derogatory) pro-People's Action Party internet trolls and propagandists


win liao lor

/ˈwɪn ljaʊ˨˩ ˌlɔː˦/

[ˈwɪn˦ ljaʊ˨˩ ˌlɔː˦]

From win, Hokkien 了 (liâu, “already”, perfective aspect and change of state marker) and 啰 (lor, final particle used to express resignation).
See liao, lor.

Wah this type of response, win liao lor, typical singaporean hehe.

1997 November 28, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

Win liao lor… Continue also cannot… Stop also cannot… How?

1999 May 1, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

And who says that should a policy holder of an annuity dies before the principal sum is exhausted, the balance is forfeited? Like that all insurance companies win liao lor.

2007 August 21, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

Said the spokesman: "In Singapore, some of the top sticker sets are Singlish sets with illustrations depicting phrases such as bojio (You did not invite me!), win liao lor (when you grudgingly concede to an argument) or kan cheong spider (an anxious person).

2016 October 18, Indonesian artist's series of Line stickers is popular:

(Singlish) Grudging admission of defeat in an argument.


tapao

[ˌt˭ɑ(ː)˧ˈp˭aʊ(˦)]

Borrowed from Cantonese 打包 (daa³ baau¹, “to pack”).

dabao (alternative)
tapau (alternative)
tapow (alternative)

Recently, my friend ‘tapao’ (packed) 20 packets of kolo mee before she flew back to Kuala Lumpur.

2012 September 4, Wilfred Pilo, “Kolo-mee the signature dish of Kuching”, in The Borneo Post, Kuching, Malaysia, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2014-09-19:

"People don't want to go eat out every day, and whenever you tapao home it's usually from a hawker centre.

2015 September 5, Rachel Loi, quoting Stephan Zoisl, “Fine dining made easy”, in The Business Times, Singapore, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2017-01-01:

"My celebration begins after 11pm on the eve of CNY. After service, I tapao some yu sheng and pen cai, and try to get home before midnight.

2017 January 28, Rachel Loi, quoting Yong Bing Ngen, “Simple Fare”, in The Business Times, Singapore, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2019-02-23:

“Why does it happen?”,[…]and “What the Hell should I eat now?!” were some of the questions we pondered on while driving ourselves to the nearest restaurant to (physically) tapao our food… in the rain… while it was all jammed up.

2017 November 17, Amresh S. Jessy, “We Try To Find Out Why The Food Delivery Service In Malaysia Is So Horrible”, in Rojak Daily, Malaysia, archived from the original on 2018-04-30:

(Manglish, Singlish, ambitransitive) To order (food) as takeaway; to pack food so it can be consumed elsewhere.


chao keng

en-verb

chao keng (third-person singular simple present chao keng or chao kengs, present participle chao keng or chao kenging, simple past chao keng or chao kenged, past participle chao keng)

chao keng (present singular third-person)
chao kengs (present singular third-person)
chao keng (participle present)
chao kenging (participle present)
chao keng (past)
chao kenged (past)
chao keng (participle past)

[ˈt͡sʰaʊ˦˨ ˈk˭eŋ˦]

From Teochew 臭 (cao³, “dirty, ill-reputed”) + 經 /经 (gêng¹, “to evade; to pass the buck”).

I chao keng. I idle. What is pride?

1997 April 10, Ng, “Open letter to all NS boys”, in soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

That said, going back for reservist training would without a doubt be a pain — digging up all your old gear, your uniform and your dusty field pack once a year is enough to make you wish you chao kenged during your NSF days.

2015 October 19, “Guys, here are 10 foods that will make your skin glow and hopefully help you get some”, in Mothership:

I couldn't actually bring myself to chao keng, but though it was only 4 km, that march was one of the tougher evolutions we've done.

2017, Max West, How To Forge A Frogman, →ISBN:

I would argue that those who 'slack' or 'chao keng' are probably more a threat to our national security than a defaulter who has postponed his NS, but done well while in NS.

2017 April 26, “Are the new sentencing principles for NS defaulters fair?”, in The Online Citizen:

I'm willing to bet all of us have tried to chao keng our way out of work sometime in the past, myself included.

2017 September 18, “If you're too sick for work, this startup lets you get your MC online”, in Asia One:

For the longest time, there’s existed the rampant problem of soldiers malingering, or more colloquially “chao keng”, to excuse themselves from training. This has led to the deep-seated mistrust of soldiers who report sick or declare themselves unfit.

2018 May 3, “To Prevent More Deaths Like Pte Dave Lee’s, Chao Keng Culture Must End”, in Rice:

(Singlish) To malinger, to skive, to shirk one's duties (particularly military duties) by feigning illness or reporting sick.


you ask me, I ask who

Calque from Chinese 你問我，我問誰／你问我，我问谁 (nǐ wèn wǒ, wǒ wèn shéi).

zh-l

'What the hell was she trying to do?' I asked Callum. 'You ask me, I ask who?' he looked bemused.

2014 04, Celina Wong, Righteous Betrayal, PartridgeIndia, →ISBN, page 27:

"No, I'm not colour-blind, but it's been like this since I can remember. Even Doctor Lam doesn't know why all home-building blocks look grey to me. How come like that, ah?" "You ask me, I ask who?"

2020 December 27, Tan Jie Ying, “"The Colour of Glass"”, in Home Groan: A NutMag Anthology, Malaysian Writers Society:

So Bilbo's nephew Frodo... Aiyah, dun ask me why their name all so funny, can or not? You ask me, I ask who?

2023 September 8, Devyani Sharma, From Deficit to Dialect: The Evolution of English in India and Singapore, Oxford University Press, →ISBN:

(Chinglish, Singlish) I don't know, how should I know


agak agak

(Manglish, Singlish) Alternative spelling of agak-agak (“to estimate”).


agak agak

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative spelling of agak-agak (“involving guesswork”).


agak-agak

/ˈɑɡɑ(ʔ)ˌɑɡɑ(ʔ)/

From Malay agak-agak, a reduplication of agak (“to estimate”).

agak agak (alternative)
agar-agar (alternative)

I am only trying my very best to recall what my granny did.....not agak agak, best of luck!!

1998 August 23, chong, “Tapai (fermented tapioca)”, in soc.culture.malaysia, retrieved 2018-09-05:

We fail to estimate how many are present in a HUGE UM*NO roadshow...and we fail to agak-agak the number ppl in and outside of cars crying "repom" slogans on a NOT SO LONG road as Jalan TAR.

1998, EyEwItNeSs, soc.culture.malaysia, retrieved 2018-09-05:

When cooking, for example, if asked how much sugar you put in, you could reply 'I just agak-agak.'

1999, Adam Brown, Singapore English in a Nutshell, Singapore: Federal Publications, →ISBN, page 3:

"Don't agak agak or we may end up on the wrong road."

2004, Uncle Yap, “Star: Damn chun blur sotong kena hantam kau kau”, in soc.culture.malaysia, retrieved 2018-09-05:

Then we should ensure that they have the necessary quantitative skills so they could think with some degree of precision and not merely agak agak (wild guesses).

2018, M. Bakri Musa, “Opening Minds Through Education”, in Seeing Malaysia My Way, retrieved 2018-09-05:

(Manglish, Singlish) To estimate or guess.


agak-agak

/ˈɑɡɑ(ʔ)ˌɑɡɑ(ʔ)/

A man who together with his partner - a few years and several hundred sketches ago - came out with the "agak agak" philosophy.

1972 March 12, Edgar Koh, “the Comedians”, in New Nation, page 7:

Instinct and a brash and breezy "agak agak" style is the way men occasional chefs, not professional ones cook.

1975 January 23, Betty L. Khoo, “When a man wears the apron and cooks to woo”, in New Nation, page 23:

Yes, although I would like to think of it as "agak agak figures."

1991, Kok-Yong Tan, “Currency exchange rates (was Re: Working in Singapore)”, in soc.culture.asean, retrieved 2018-09-05:

Kelly always said,'We Baba follow the agak-agak principle.'

2007, Sidney Cheung, Chee-Beng Tan, editors, Food and Foodways in Asia: Resource, Tradition and Cooking, Abingdon: Routledge, →ISBN:

(Manglish, Singlish) Involving guesswork.


catch no ball

Calque of Hokkien 掠無球 /掠无球 (lia̍h bô kiû, “to not understand”, literally “catch no ball”).

calque

Being someone who doesn't understand Hokkien, I catch no ball as to what you say :-).

1992 March 19, soc.culture.asean (Usenet):

Ah! I see the problem. Fearless is only semi-literate. In which case, I can understand why he catch no ball. I guess we must ALL show patience to the slow-witted.

1999 April 29, soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):

"Infini... what? Sorry, I catch no ball. Again, please."
"Infinitessimal - small, small winnings, Chin," said Clarence...

2000, Chong Yen Chung, Clarence Plays the Numbers: A Novel, page 83:

"The sense of meaning halal should debated on either symbolic reminder of hygiene also define the level of hygiene to the level of a stomach ache or death that is what make sense!"
Huh? What kind of English is this? Catch no ball....LOL.

2005 March 23, soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):

THE ‘CATCH NO BALL BUT WILL KEEP TRYING’ AWARD INCEPTION Only the incomparable Christopher Nolan, after reviving the superhero genre, could have had the cojones to convince a tightfisted big movie studio to greenlight a movie as ridiculously convoluted and richly layered as this.

2010 December 15, “The 'catch no ball but will keep trying’ award Inception”, in TODAY:

Catch no ball of what you're talking and saying in your content. Talking and saying, and writing are different ways of expressions. They are not the same.

2013 August 14, soc.culture.china (Usenet):

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial) To fail to understand something; be unable to comprehend what others are saying.


gabra

Who like army. No freedom and NCOs always shout. They have loud voices. They shout only we gabra (panic).

1978 September 17, “Inside the mind of a rifleman”, in The Straits Times:

In the sports field, the nervous little boy who is drafted into the squad to make up a full team gets all “gabra” (or confused) when he receives the ball and “cocks up” the match resulting in his team’s defeat.

1986 November 18, “Slanging the message across”, in The Straits Times:

Just poke fun only you gabra.... how to survive like that?

2001 June 4, soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):

(Manglish, Singlish) Panicky and confused.


lobang

From Malay lubang (“hole, opening, gap”), commonly misspelled and pronounced in Singapore as lobang.

So long as these men have a lobang they will raise money in order to pay their debts, otherwise the European merchants are the sufferers.

1889 September 23, “Capital in the Straits”, in The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, page 362:

The first article consisted of [...] an obvious attempt to make a lobang for some vet. as an officer in charge of the abattoirs.

1900 February 22, “Amusing plagiarism”, in The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, page 11:

The prosecution's last witness, Harun, testified that Yasin and another man approached him in early April 1972, saying that there was a "lobang" (opportunity) on Pulau Ubin.

1977 May 12, “Labourer to Make his Defence on Rape Charge”, in The Straits Times:

any1 got lobang in getting fake rolex watches????pls reply in this newsgroup....thanks!

1998 August 21, sg.marketplace (Usenet):

With the ever-expanding job market here in the region, we have started a section on the job offering. If you have any job lobang, feel free to post it here for the community to forward to their acquaintances.

Being in Singapore, we are always looking out for sales lobang. It also doesn't hurt to save a few dollars, especially with the current economic situation.

2008 December 13, “8 Ways to be a Recessionista”, in TODAY:

anybody got lobang for basketball coach? Need to get one for my girls team. Preferably if you know the person personally and the coach is trustworthy and good:) Thanks!

2011 April 13, pesspgde_05/06_yr2 (Usenet):

(Singapore, colloquial) A good deal or opportunity; pertaining to job offers, business opportunities or sales.


dabao

From Chinese Mandarin 打包 (daa3 baau1, “to pack and unpack”).

Moreover, they don't go for lunch but "Da Bao" and keep working during lunch break.

1999 September 27, sg.jobs.offer (Usenet):

xiaoyang: though one thing - can we move the place to bedok instead? all the famous hawker food in katong kind of close at night, but bedok block 85 bak chor mee + sambal stingray + orh luah + aboling only open at night. anyone strongly objects to that? Joseph Heng: tapao something for me?

2008 July 30, Joseph Heng, “pre-departure food outing (yay!)”, in Hopkins4U, retrieved 2018-10-28:

This isn't meant to shame people, just to kind of remind them (and the audience) that sometimes, little things like take-aways from the canteen aren't always necessary, and that by not da-baoing for a change, we can make a positive contribution to the environment (decreasing the demand for logging/deforestation for paper!).


half-past-six

Unknown, supposedly referring to the angle of a flaccid penis (6:30 on a clock).

Whatever Mahathir's shortcomings were, he cannot be accused of being a half-past six leader. The problem with Pak Lah[…]is that all the kings’ horses and all the kings’ men cannot prove that he is not one.

2006 June 15, pluto, “mkl= Pak Lah must prove he’s not ‘half-past six”, in soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):


jialat

en-adj

jialat (comparative more jialat, superlative most jialat)

more jialat (comparative)
most jialat (superlative)
chialat (alternative)

[ˌt͡s˭jɑ(ː)˨ˈlɑt̚˦]

Borrowed from Hokkien 食力 (chia̍h-la̍t, “to be exhausting”), with spelling influenced by Mandarin Pinyin.

wah lao...... jialat ahhhh you.

1997 October 19, Thye Hoon Lin, “Singapore Ties to Heroin Traffickers: News Release”, in soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):

None of the economists polled expect the economy to contract - be it a technical recession or a real recession - and hit the alamak and jialat ranges.

2015 December 17, Kelly Tay Soon Weilun, “The Singapore economy, colloquially speaking”, in Business Times, →OCLC:

(Singlish, Manglish, original sense, now less common) Sapping of one’s strength; tiresome.

According to his doctors, every minute he had remained unconscious would have added to his life being in danger. "If it were 10 minutes... jialat (terrible)!" he said.

2019 March 2, Lyn Chan, “When an emergency hits, will you know what to do?”, in Today:

Seeing my Dad in that state was a huge shock. I was like ‘eh what the fuck! What’s wrong with you?!’ […] ‘Lucky I didn’t die, boy!’ he told me. Jialat sia.

2020 January 14, Justin Vanderstraaten, quoting Moon, “Drugs, Cash, and Prison. When Does Enough Become Enough?”, in ricemedia.co, archived from the original on 2024-02-26:

(Singlish, Manglish, by extension, more common) Terrible, disastrous; (of a person) affected by difficulties, in a dire situation.


siao

siao (comparative more siao, superlative most siao)

more siao (comparative)
most siao (superlative)

[…] Then why am I labelled mad, siow, crazy, mental, psycho, cuck-… and not you?

1993, Haresh Sharma, Off Centre, Ethos Books, →ISBN, Prologue, page 2, lines 18–20:


suay

suay (comparative more suay, superlative most suay)

more suay (comparative)
most suay (superlative)

You want to seem like you've actually read all 3 books, but — damn suay — even The New Paper is too 'cheem' for you. Neh'mine!

2003 December 12, jay, “tolkien would turn over in his grave.......”, in soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):

(Singapore, Singlish, colloquial) unlucky, unfortunate


liddat

Cannot imagine sia. In Singapore, you strike, you lose your job. But ya, the postal service stopped liao. Cannot agree, buay song, so liddat lor. No postal service for now. Also dunno how long some more. So pek chek.

2016 September 19, James Harbeck, “The language the government tried to suppress”, in BBC:

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling

(Singlish, Manglish) Pronunciation spelling of like that.


confirm plus chop

Shortened from confirm plus guarantee got chop. Here confirm is simply an intensifier, while guarantee got chop suggests that any paperwork will be approved without an issue.

These include announcements on, say, duty-free sales: "Later we'll also be coming around for duty free. If you haven't buy from the airport yet, then you can buy from us lah. All same price, confirm plus chop".

2016 August 2, Jeremy Koh, quoting Jetstar, “Singlish in the skies on Aug 9? Must be Jetstar, lah”, in The Straits Times:

5 basic bro-type handphone addicts you can confirm plus chop find in S'pore

(Singlish, now rare) Absolutely, definitely, guaranteed


sibeh

From Singapore Hokkien 死爸 (sí-pē, “very; quite”, literally “die father”), from Singapore Teochew 死爸 (si² bê⁶, “very; quite”, literally “die father”), in the sense of being to the extent that one’s father dies.

der

It does seem to be a pity, though, to let go of an identity that we have formed at last, something we have had printed in posters, something we can point to and say, "Wah, sibeh Singaporean, lah".

2015 November 22, Denise Chong, “Pinning down the elusive S'pore identity”, in The Straits Times:

The netizen above, Bruce Wee, shared a screenshot of Ho Ching’s footwear during her official visit to the US last year and commented, “Not again? Sibeh Sia Suay!”

2017 October 26, Jewel Stolarchuk, “Ho Ching’s sloppy sandals make an appearance during official US trip once again”, in The Independent, archived from the original on 2019-04-20:

I'm sibeh damn rich / I'm very very rich / I can buy anything when Limpeh happy

2021, Namewee, “You Know Who Is My Father?”, in Ghosician:

(Manglish, Singlish, mildly vulgar) An intensifier word, very.


boh koleng

en-adj

boh koleng (comparative more boh koleng, superlative most boh koleng)

more boh koleng (comparative)
most boh koleng (superlative)

[bo²¹ kʰo²⁴ leŋ²⁴]

Borrowed from Hokkien 無可能 /无可能 (bô-khó-lêng) in Malaysia and Singapore.

Touch your heart and ask yourself, pirate. Do you think you can legislate $1k min wage for all sectors, "across sectors"? Bo Ko Leng, right?!

2015 September 4, jetsetter, “Re: General Election 2015”, in KiasuParents:

Yah lor...boh koleng leh.

2003 April 4, Assassin, “Possible future upgrade for Lester ?”, in MyCarForum, archived from the original on 2019-12-31:


siol

(Singlish, Manglish) Alternative form of sia.


langgar

Unadapted borrowing from Malay langgar (“to collide”).

ubor

I almost langgar a contruction cone on my right and i luckily act fast. If not ah..i’m sure ended up in hospital.

2008, anonymous author, “Old Tampines Rd”, in hungzai.com — Singapore's Freakiest Online Ghost Stories, archived from the original on 2008-05-16:

“Aiyo! Nearly langgar leh! So scary ah! Alamak! Why you go so fast!” he is heard exclaiming to a companion in his car.

2019, Cherlynn Ng, “Near-collision with Mercedes going against traffic during rain in Yishun: 'So scary ah!'”, in AsiaOne:

(Manglish, Singlish, of a vehicle) To hit or collide (with something).


xia suay

en-adj

xia suay (comparative more xia suay, superlative most xia suay)

more xia suay (comparative)
most xia suay (superlative)

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative form of sia suay.


alamak

Unadapted borrowing from Malay alamak, see it for more.

(colloquial, Malaysia, Singapore) Oh dear (expression of shock or dismay)


or not

Calque of Hokkien 抑無 /抑无 (a̍h-bô / á-bô, literally “or not; or no; or none”). See also Hokkien 是毋是 (sī-m̄-sī / sǐ-m̄-sǐ, “whether or not”), 是抑毋是 (sī á-m̄-sī / sǐ á-m̄-sǐ, “isn't?”, literally “is it? or is it not?”), Mandarin 是不是 (shìbùshì, “whether or not”), forming a question, and similar interrogative expressions with 不, 無 /无, 唔 and other dialectal synonyms.

ncog

anot (alternative Singapore)
ornot (alternative Singapore)

You want to go see snow or not, Ma?

2009, Jean Tay, Boom, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:

Can or not ?

2020 January 26, JustGreat, “I ordered Pizza Hut”, in SG Talk:

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial) Final interrogative particle, forming a yes/no question from a declarative statement.


tio bo

Borrowed from Hokkien 著無 /著无 (tio̍h bô, “right?”, literally “correct no?”).

bor+

You can drive tio bo?

(Singlish) Right?, is that right? (checking agreement or seeking confirmation)


tio boh

(Singapore, colloquial) Alternative spelling of tio bo.


laugh die me

Calque of Cantonese 笑死我 (siu3 sei2 ngo5, “very funny”, literally “making me laugh to death”).

calque

really laugh die me! Coma patient wakes up to turn off YPAP video playing on smartphone

2014 May 16, atwee, Singapore Rolex Club:

Laugh die me @CGTNOfficial

"Doctor" laugh die me

2019 November 25, XxBananaLordxX, Reddit, r/HongKong:

(Hong Kong, Singapore, Chinglish) very funny


yaya papaya

en-adj

yaya papaya (comparative more yaya papaya, superlative most yaya papaya)

more yaya papaya (comparative)
most yaya papaya (superlative)

[ˈjɑ(ː˦)ˈjɑ(ː˦)pəˈpɑjɑ]

Rhyming expression, from yaya (“arrogant”) + papaya.

Don’t so yaya papaya lah. You dono then don’t bluff.

Stop lying and stop being a smart aleck.

Theresa Tan in an article headed ‘Glass Act’ in the magazine 8 Days quotes Sharma as saying ‘It started as a comedy… It was supposed to be hilarious, the works, a yaya papaya play! […]

1998, Kirpal Singh, quoting Haresh Sharma, Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, volume 6, page 63:

(Singlish) Conceited, arrogant, show-offy.


CMI

(colloquial, Singapore) Initialism of cannot make it.


I tell you

From Etymology 1, or a calque of Hokkien 我共汝講 /我共汝讲 (oá kā lí kóng, “let me tell you something; listen up”).

calque

Today weather fucking hot I tell you.

Luckily for us your son earns a good living. I tell you. I don’t know what we did when Jack was in school.

1989, Eleanor Wong, Jackson on a Jaunt, or, Mistaken Identities, page 1, lines 18–20:

(Singapore, Singlish) Used to draw attention to something one has to say.


Ah Kong

[ˌɑː˧ ˈk˭ɔŋ˦]


Ah Chek

[ˌɑː˨ ˈt͡sek̚˧˨]

(colloquial, Singapore) Uncle (father's younger brother)

(colloquial, Singapore) Older middle-aged man


Ah Mm

/ˌɑː˨ ˈm̩˦˨/

(colloquial, Singapore) Paternal aunt (wife of father's elder brother)


cheeko

From either or both Hokkien 痴哥 (chhi-ko) and Teochew 痴哥 (ci¹ go¹).

Knn this cheeko

(Singlish, derogatory) A lecher, a pervert.


cheeko

en-adj

cheeko (comparative more cheeko, superlative most cheeko)

more cheeko (comparative)
most cheeko (superlative)

There was the ‘cheeko’ Mr Wong who was the school’s PT instructor. When instructing the girls, he was free with his straying hands.

1978, L. C. Cheong, Youth in the Army, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Federal Publications, page 164:


cheeko

(Singlish, derogatory) To act in a lecherous manner.


your head

Compare Chinese 你個頭 /你个头 (nǐ gè tóu), Malay kepala otak kau.

Working after school hours part of 'service'? Your head lah.

young father: […] If things work out this time, I tell you, you are going to live like a queen. […]
young mother: […] Queen your head.

2009, Jean Tay, Boom, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act I, scene xvii, page 64:

(Singlish, Manglish) My foot, my ass (a dismissive response to someone's remark)


koyak

koyak (comparative more koyak, superlative most koyak)

more koyak (comparative)
most koyak (superlative)


ngeow

ngeow (comparative more ngeow, superlative most ngeow)

more ngeow (comparative)
most ngeow (superlative)

From Hokkien 貓 /猫 (niau / ngiau, “cat; stingy”), with influence from Singapore Teochew 貓 /猫 (ngiao¹, “cat; stingy”). See also Hokkien 貓潲 /猫潲 (niau-siâu, “stingy”), 貓神 /猫神 (niau-sîn, “stingy”), 貓𡳞 /猫𡳞 (niau-lān / niau-lǎn, “stingy”), 貓筩 /猫筒 (niau-thāng, “stingy”).


goondu

From Tamil குண்டு (kuṇṭu, “fat person”).


goondu

en-adj

goondu (comparative more goondu, superlative most goondu)

more goondu (comparative)
most goondu (superlative)
gandu (alternative)


lanjiao

From Hokkien 𡳞鳥 /𡳞鸟 (lān-chiáu). Compare Cebuano lansyaw. Doublet of lanciao. Spelling influenced by Hanyu Pinyin.

(Malaysia, Singapore, colloquial, vulgar) Penis


ku ku jiao

ku ku jiaos (plural)
kukujiao (alternative)

[ˌk˭u˨ ˌk˭u˧ ˈt͡sjɑʊ˦˨]

[ˌk˭u˨ ˌk˭u˨˦ -]

[- t͡ɕjɑʊ˦˨]

From Hokkien 咕咕鳥 /咕咕鸟 (ku-kú-chiáu). See also cuckoo bird.

Hey, guys. This is boring. Massage time. And you, the bachelor, you're gonna get one before this weekend is over. Or we're gonna tie you up and shave your ku ku jiao!

2018, Peter Chiarelli, Adele Lim, Crazy Rich Asians, spoken by Bernard Tai (Jimmy O. Yang):

(Singlish, Manglish, colloquial, humorous) Penis


susah

susah (comparative more susah, superlative most susah)

more susah (comparative)
most susah (superlative)

Gar'ment now say cannot drive pirate taxis. So very susah.

2023, Josephine Chia, Goodbye My Kampong!: Potong Pasir, 1966 to 1975, page 1913:


garang

garang (comparative more garang, superlative most garang)

more garang (comparative)
most garang (superlative)

(Singapore, colloquial) Bold, daring, fearless

(Singapore, colloquial) Imposing, impressive; manly (of appearance)


terbalik

[t˭əˈbɑ˧.leʔ˦]

tombalik (alternative)
tombalek (alternative)

(Manglish, Singlish, predicative) Upside-down; inverted.


agaration

/ˌɑɡɑˈɹeɪʃən/

From Malay agak (“to estimate”) + -ation. The r is epenthetic.

Free of dents and scrapes so far, any wrong move or salah agar-ation will mar the car’s flawless paintwork.

2000 December 28, Samuel Lee, “Life! This Weekend”, in The Straits Times, Singapore, page 6:


ponteng

en-verb

ponteng (third-person singular simple present pontengs, present participle pontenging, simple past and past participle pontenged)

pontengs (present singular third-person)
pontenging (participle present)
pontenged (participle past)
pontenged (past)

[…] she rushed up to me at the end shouting: "Hei you came! Did you ponteng work?"
I do not advocated "pontenging" of course but I do strongly recommend one primary school sports meet at least for each parent and soon.

1978, Adibah Amin, As I was Passing, volume 2, page 197:

But that was the best place to spend the day if you pontenged school. It was so cool and quiet.

Quoted in 2009, Rosaly Puthucheary, Different Voices: The Singaporean/Malaysian Novel (page 124)

(Singlish, Manglish) To skip (school or work); play truant.


Maggi mee

en-noun

Maggi mee (countable and uncountable, plural Maggi mees)

(Manglish, Singlish) Any type of instant noodles.


kacang puteh

/ˈkɑt͡ʃɑŋ ˌpʊteɪ/

From Malay kacang putih or kacang puteh (1924-1972 spelling), meaning “white nuts”, originally referring to chickpeas.

kacang putih (alternative)
kachang puteh (alternative)

(Singapore, Singlish, rare) Easy as pie, easy-peasy.


somemore

some more (alternative)
sum more (alternative)

— Are you gonna attend the lecture tomorrow?

— No. It's too boring. It starts at 8 a.m. somemore.

Ay, the wedding is next month already. Some more you know I’m very busy with work these days.

1989, Eleanor Wong, Jackson on a Jaunt, or, Mistaken Identities, page 8, lines 15–16:

upm has lots and lots of hotspot.can connect to power socket somemore

2005 July 21, Aku, “Free wifi hotspot”, in soc.culture.malaysia (Usenet):

UOW better in SIM....good in everything..fourth university somemore.......UOW all the way............

2006 September 28, averx1234, “Univeristy^([sic – meaning University]) Of Wollongong (SIM) future/current/students come in!!!”, in HardwareZone Forums:

I told him to go to Woodlands to buy durian for me. He came back and said no durian. But he some more said-ah, he got see people selling durian in Bukit Timah. I ask him-ah. Why you never buy from Bukit Timah.

2007, Elangovan, P, Singapore, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 85:

i always wanted a cavalier king charles spaniel but it is a hard breed to find, somemore quite rare in malaysia.

2008 August 11, raindrops, “cavalier king charles spaniel, do you want/have one?”, in Lowyat.NET:

(Manglish, Singlish) Moreover; introduces additional information to illustrate a point the speaker is making.


lai lai

Borrowed from Mandarin or Hokkien. Reduplication of 來 /来, Mandarin 來／来 (lái) or Hokkien 來／来 (lâi).

(Manglish, Singlish) An exclamation to express encouragement, or to precede a request.


siah

(Singlish, Manglish) Alternative form of sia.


du lan

en-adj

du lan (comparative more du lan, superlative most du lan)

more du lan (comparative)
most du lan (superlative)
dulan (alternative)

Sibeh du lan!

Let's get down to business to defeat Wuhan / (Erm, it's COVID-19) / 'Cause all that's happening right now is just so dulan!

2020, SGAG (YouTube channel), “DULAN (A Covid-19 Mulan Parody)”:

(Singlish, Manglish, vulgar) Annoyed, frustrated


chio bu

[ˌt͡ʃʰjoː˨ ˈbuː˦˨]

From Hokkien 𪁎母 /𲍸母 (chhio bú, literally “lascivious woman”).


sinseh

From Hokkien 先生 (sin-seⁿ). Doublet of sensei, from Japanese 先生(せんせい) (sensei).

(Singlish) A traditional Chinese physician.


lao hong

/ˈlaʊ˦˨ ˈhɔŋ˦/

(Singapore, Malaysia, informal, intransitive, of food, especially biscuits) To go stale or turn soft from exposure to air.


orh

dragged out, sarcastic or when the speaker finally understands something

From Hokkien, Cantonese, and Mandarin 哦 (ò).

We are basically aunties on the “orh hor” bandwagon who name and shame.

2019 April 25, Gemma Iso, quoting Kethlyn Gayatiri Koh, “Netizen ‘defends’ Nicholas Lim and says “Why do people enjoy playing God, in deciding what is enough?””, in theindependent.sg:

(Singapore, colloquial, mildly dismissive) Oh, OK; expression of understanding or acknowledgment.


jelak

Unadapted borrowing from Malay jelak (“bored”).

ubor

Wah this mee rebus damn jelak sia

(colloquial, Singapore, Malaysia, Singlish, Manglish) Food which makes one feel satiated, disgusted, because the taste is too overwhelming.


calefare

Originally from Hong Kong Cantonese 茄哩啡 (ke1 le1 fe1, “extra; background actor”), a loanword from English carefree.
Popularized by the 2008 comedy series of the same name.

bor

And since the producers decided to spell it as “Calefare”, we, the calefare, are sticking with it.

2008 July 30, “Are you sure this is how you spell calefare?”, in Calefare (blog), Singapore:

(Singapore, slang) An extra (actor playing a minor role)


rabak

en-adj

rabak (comparative more rabak, superlative most rabak)

more rabak (comparative)
most rabak (superlative)

[ˈɹäː˧.bäʔ˦]

From Malay rabak (“ragged; in tatters”).

(Singlish, predicative, of a situation) Out of control, messed up; (by extension) terrible.

(Singlish, predicative, of a person) In a sorry state.


die-die

Reduplication of die and a calque of Malay mati-matian (“desperately; with all one's might”), itself a reduplication of mati (“to die”).

calque

When we’ve something to say […] we will die-die find the most compelling way to say it to our intended audience.

2004 December 12, Colin Goh, The Sunday Times, Singapore, page L14:

[O]nly about 100 [hawker] stalls got his highest ranking of “die, die must try”.

2006 August 13, Teo Pau Lin, The Sunday Times, Singapore, page L24:

My dad’s reluctance to seek medical care isn’t unique. In fact, only a third of older adults here have a regular family doctor, which leads to delayed diagnoses and missed opportunities to catch serious conditions early.

2024 October 18, Andre Frois, “Why Elderly Parents ‘Die Die’ Won’t See the Doctor”, in ricemedia.co, archived from the original on 2024-12-18:

(Singlish) No matter what, absolutely, even if one dies trying; emphasizes urgency, necessity or commitment.


kan cheong

en-adj

kan cheong (comparative more kan cheong, superlative most kan cheong)

more kan cheong (comparative)
most kan cheong (superlative)

[ˌkän˧ ˈt͡ʃjɔŋ˦]

From Cantonese 緊張 /紧张 (gan² zoeng¹), by way of Singapore Hokkien 緊張 /紧张 (kán-chiong, “nervous; stressed”).

bor

I was so ‘kancheong’ (Cantonese for worried) about his tests that I woke him up at 5:30 am to remind him not to make mistakes.

2002 August 13, Michelle Ho, quoting Diana Liaw, The Straits Times, Singapore, page L8:

I wasn’t always this kan cheong about elections.

2008 November 2, Colin Goh, The Sunday Times, Singapore, page 14:

[…] they will just become more kan cheong and think that all the mata and SCDF kena nuked or something […]

2004, The Void Deck, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

(Singlish, Manglish) Nervous, anxious, keyed up


kancheong

(Singlish, Manglish) Alternative form of kan cheong.


leh chey

en-adj

leh chey (comparative more leh chey, superlative most leh chey)

more leh chey (comparative)
most leh chey (superlative)

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative form of leceh.


leceh

leceh (comparative more leceh, superlative most leceh)

more leceh (comparative)
most leceh (superlative)
leh chey (alternative)
lecheh (alternative)

[ˈleː˧.t͡ʃeː˦]

Some of the hawkers are not very cooperative. When it comes to paying the salary, they find it ‘leceh’ (troublesome).

1978 October 4, Mohamed Shariff, The Straits Times, page 7:

[A friend] was puzzled as to why the [Central Provident Fund] Board with its marvellous computerised accounting facilities couldn’t design a less lecheh (convoluted, troublesome) way of dealing with savers who already have enough to take care of rainy flat-on-their-back days.

1987 February 28, Tan Sai Siong, The Straits Times, page 21:


chee bye

[…] chow chee bye attitude! some more hor, got high-tech GSP guidan oso cannot find dhe road. […]

2010, Singrish King, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial, vulgar) Alternative form of cheebai (“cunt”).


cheebai

/ˌt͡siː˧ ˈbaɪ˦/

From Hokkien 膣屄 (chi-bai). Compare Cebuano tsibay.

chee bye (alternative)
cibai (alternative)
chibai (alternative)
cheebye (alternative)
chee bai (alternative)

For quotations using this term, see Citations:cheebai.

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial, vulgar) Vagina, cunt.


lau kui

lau kui (comparative more lau kui, superlative most lau kui)

more lau kui (comparative)
most lau kui (superlative)

[ˈlaʊ˦˨ ˌkʰui˩]

Borrowed from Hokkien 落氣 /落气 (làu-khùi, “to lose face”).

bor

You think you are going for a vacation izzit? No wonder our athletes thought like this and we lost miserably. So lau kui.

2004, Bukit Ho Sweerean, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

(colloquial, Singapore) Embarrassing, shameful


lao kui

en-adj

lau kui (comparative more lao kui, superlative most lao kui)

lau kui (canonical)
more lao kui (comparative)
most lao kui (superlative)

(Singapore) Alternative form of lau kui.


show colour

en-verb

show colour (third-person singular simple present shows colour, present participle showing colour, simple past showed colour, past participle shown colour)

shows colour (present singular third-person)
showing colour (participle present)
showed colour (past)
shown colour (participle past)

May be derived from show one's true colors, but referring to showing one's bad behaviour through their anger.

Do not show colour to me!

(Malaysia, Singapore, colloquial, idiomatic) To get angry, to scowl.


kiam chye

kiamchay (alternative)
kiam-chay (alternative)
kiam chai (alternative)

(Singlish, figurative) Very crumpled items (eg. paper, clothes).


spoil the market

spoil the market (third-person singular simple present spoils the market, present participle spoiling the market, simple past and past participle spoiled the market)

spoils the market (present singular third-person)
spoiling the market (participle present)
spoiled the market (participle past)
spoiled the market (past)
spoil market (alternative)

Instead of working with each other, they bicker and say things like, if you do that, you’ll spoil the market.

2006 September 22, Lydia Lim, Keith Lin, Ken Kwek, quoting Alvin Tan, The Straits Times, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited:

(Singapore, informal, idiomatic) To set higher standards by overachieving, so others look inferior or unmotivated in comparison.


gone case

gone case – something that cannot be saved (eg. he’s a gone case).

1991 August 9, Valerie Tan, w:The Straits Times, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited, →OCLC, section 3, page 19:

That ex-lecturer-to-be confirm gone case liao.

2006, DanielS, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

don't worry, it is already a gone case, and nothing u can do about it but just watch.

2006, Kantian [pseudonym], soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

(Singapore, India, idiomatic) Someone or something that is deemed irredeemable, hopeless and beyond help; a doomed person or thing.


chiminology

From cheem + -in- + -ology, the former from either Hokkien 深 (chhim, “deep”) or Teochew 深 (cim¹, “deep”). Patterned after words like criminology and terminology.

cheemology (alternative)
cheeminology (alternative)

You've been talking chiminology on about fuck knows what for, God knows how long.

2001, Elangovan, Buang Suay and Other Plays, →ISBN, page 91:

So you can have chiminology, it means you're trying to be very erudite and talk in a very academic way...

2012 March 3, The cultural backdrop of English (radio), spoken by Sandra McKay, via ABC Radio National:

(Singlish, rare) Speech or writing marked by overly complex vocabulary.


cheeminology

(Singlish) Alternative form of chiminology.


cannot make it

A noble effort but somehow the only words that came to mind were “cannot make it, lah”.

2006 July 20, Zul Othman, Today, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, page 37:

[…] “it never ended preliminarily at ‘he cannot make it’, […] it was always ‘let's do this or that to help him’.”

2023, Dan Goodley, Kuansong Victor Zhuang, Meng Ee Wong, Not Without Us: Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion in Singapore, →ISBN:

(Singapore, colloquial, stative, idiomatic) Cannot reach satisfactory or expected standards or do something competently; describes someone in a hopeless situation.


kaopeh

[ˈkʰaʊ˦˨ˌp˭eː˨]

From Hokkien 哭爸 (khàu-pē, “to cry as if one has lost their father”).

bor

To complain, to make a lot of noise about (something).


yan dao

[ˌjɛn˨ ˈt˭aʊ˨˦]

Borrowed from Hokkien 緣投 /缘投 (iân-tâu, “handsome”); spelling influenced by Mandarin's Hanyu Pinyin romanization. Compare Tagalog yantaw.

bor+

(Singapore, Singlish) Handsome, pretty boy.


yan dao

[ˌjɛn˨ ˈt˭aʊ˨˦]

And WP candidate Bernard Chen, who was making the rounds with Mr Low, won himself an auntie fan who declared: “Yan dao (handsome in Hokkien) leh”.

2015 September 5, Ong Sor Fern, “GE2015: 7 Things Spotted On The Campaign Trail, Sept 5 edition”, in The Straits Times, Singapore:

(Singapore, Singlish, of a man) Handsome, stylish.


bo chup

en-adj

bo chup (comparative more bo chup, superlative most bo chup)

more bo chup (comparative)
most bo chup (superlative)
bo chap (alternative)
bochup (alternative)
bo-chup (alternative)
bo-chap (alternative)
bochap (alternative)
boh chap (alternative)

/bo²⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰap̚³²/

From Hokkien 無插／无插 (bô-chhap, “indifferent; to not care about”).

zh-l

p. 17 I guess many people will just act bo chap (don’t care). Nobody wants to confront a criminal and get into trouble.

1991 April 15, Tan Ooi Boon, The Straits Times:

p. 127 People simply bo chap their looks in what was, after all, an all-male working domain.
p. 135 bo chap. Simply don’t care.

1994, C.S. Chong, NS: An Air-Level Story:

p. 130 No class Singlish here to stay, / No big shot can have his way / With how people talk, what people say. / Rules are rules: our bo chap mouth refuse / To listen, follow or to choose!

2000, Leong Liew Geok, “Forever Singlish”, in Women without Men:

2000, Clarissa Oon (quoting Jeffrey Tan), The Straits Times (Life!), 23 September
p. 5 When you ask for feedback, there is a certain bo-chap-ness (apathy).

2000, Jessica Tan, The Straits Times (Life!), 29 December
p. 8 Desperately in need of a makeover, these two not-so-gorgeous but talented damsels definitely bag the most bochap (can’t be bothered, in Hokkien) look prize.

H6 [A] recent Gallup poll.. found that many workers here have a bo chap (don’t care) attitude towards work.

2004 Dharmendra Yadav (quoting Goh Chok Tong), Today, 19 May
p. 3 In March, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong reflected about the ‘bo-chap’ (can’t be bothered) attitude of young Singaporeans.

H9 Companies that are “boh chap” about safety face stiffer penalties.

2005 March 11, Sue-Ann Chia, The Straits Times:

2006 Elgin Teo (quoting He Shuwei), The Sunday Times, 30 July
p. 10–11 ‘Bochap’? Not us, say teens [title].. [A]re Singaporean youths really so “bochap” (indifferent in Hokkien)? .. “We are not ‘bochap’. We are aware of issues concerning Singapore’s progress; it’s just that there’s nothing we can actually do at this stage,” opines Shuwei.

(Singapore, Singlish) Indifferent, not caring about something, unbothered.


bo chap

en-adj

bo chap (comparative more bo chap, superlative most bo chap)

more bo chap (comparative)
most bo chap (superlative)


bochup

bochup (comparative more bochup, superlative most bochup)

more bochup (comparative)
most bochup (superlative)


bochap

bochap (comparative more bochap, superlative most bochap)

more bochap (comparative)
most bochap (superlative)


kanasai

(slang, derogatory, vulgar) Alternative form of kena sai.


buay tahan

From Hokkien 𣍐 / 袂 /𫧃 / 袂 (bōe, “cannot”) + Malay tahan (“to endure; to withstand; to bear”), which in Hokkien would be 袂打限 (bōe tá-hān). The equivalent expression in Malay is tak boleh tahan.

com

Cannot wait already, buay tahan already. I hope she doesn’t complain to anyone.

2006, Elangovan, Smegma, →ISBN, page 39:

(Singlish, Manglish, generally intransitive, of someone) Cannot endure or stand something any longer.


kan ni na

From Hokkien 姦恁娘 /奸恁娘 (kàn-lín-niâ / kàn-ní-nâ).

bor

KNN (alternative)
kan lin nia (alternative)
kan ni nia (alternative)

Fuck your mother
fuck your mother#English

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial, vulgar) Fuck your mother; fuck.


KNN

Abbreviation of kan ni na, from Hokkien 姦恁娘 /奸恁娘 (kàn-lín-niâ / kàn-ní-nâ).

kan ni na (alternative)
knn (alternative)

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial, vulgar) Abbreviation of kan ni na.


KNNB

Abbreviation of kan ni na bu, from Hokkien 姦恁娘母 /奸恁娘母 (kàn-lín-niâ-bú / kàn-ní-nâ-bú).

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial, vulgar) Abbreviation of kan ni na bu.


kan ni na bu

From Hokkien 姦恁娘母 /奸恁娘母 (kàn-lín-niâ-bú / kàn-ní-nâ-bú). The variant kan ni na beh likely results from a shortening of the last two syllables in 姦恁娘母的 /奸恁娘母的 (kàn-lín-niâ-bú-ê, “fuck your mother's”) from bú-ê to bé.


where got

[ˈwɛː˦ ɡɒt˨]

[ˈwɛː˦ ˈɡɒt˦˧]

Compare Hokkien 佗落有 (tó-lo̍h ū, “how is it […] ?”, literally “where is there”). 有 (“have; there is”) is rendered as got in Singlish.
Also compare Malay mana ada and dialectal Mandarin 哪裡有 /哪里有 (nǎlǐ yǒu).

calque

— Let’s not do this one. Looks damn scary.
— This ride where got scary one?

I don’t see how this ride is supposed to be scary.

Used to challenge the validity of an assertion.


sibei

(Manglish, Singlish) Alternative form of sibeh.


own time, own target

Own time, own target. Army use: To perform a task at one’s own leisure or by using one’s discretion. Civilian use: Ditto. Example: This assignment doesn’t have an urgent deadline, so own time, own target.

2005 June 19, Hong Xinyi, The Sunday Times, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited:

[…] it’s at your own time and own target. And you can have fun with your friends.

2023 December 12, Christine Tan, quoting Tedrick Tay, “Festival showcases card and digital games on social issues, including mental health”, in The Straits Times, Singapore:

(Singapore, slang) Without hurry or urgency, at one's own pace.


OTOT

own time, own target
own time, own target#English

(Singapore, slang) Initialism of own time, own target: at one's own pace.


geh kiang

en-adj

geh kiang (comparative more geh kiang, superlative most geh kiang)

more geh kiang (comparative)
most geh kiang (superlative)
keh kiang (alternative)
kay kiang (alternative)

[k˭e˨˦ kʰjaŋ˨˩]

From Singaporean Hokkien 假勥 (ké-khiàng, literally “fake cleverness”).

[O]ne never knows how such unsolicited advice might be taken. The owner might just ask me not to be too ‘keh khiang’ (clever by half) and to mind my own business, just as he was so successfully minding his.

2005 December 10, Philip Lee, The New Paper, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings Limited:

(Singapore, Singlish) Overconfident and pretending to be clever.


geh kiang

[k˭e˨˦ kʰjaŋ˨˩]

keh kiang (alternative)
kay kiang (alternative)

[…] Who ask you? Geh kiang lah. Think you so smart, […]

2009, Jean Tay, Boom, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:

(Singapore, Singlish) To act overly clever and end up making reckless or unwise decisions without careful consideration.


siong

siong (comparative more siong, superlative most siong)

more siong (comparative)
most siong (superlative)
xiong (alternative)

Oh well, it was xiong, but overall OK, lah.

1994, C. S. Chong, NS: An Air-Level Story, Singapore: Times Books International, →ISBN, page 58:

(Singapore, Singlish) Very tough, challenging.


suka-suka

PIE root
 *h₁su-
Reduplication of Malay suka (“to like”), or directly from Malay sesuka-suka (“at one's leisure”).

Once you stand for elections, you must then be ready to serve if you are called upon as an NCMP. You cannot just have a myopic view of being "a duckweed in a pond that cannot sink roots" and not give the NCMP position any dignity and "suka-suka" swap candidates.

2016 January 29, Zaqy Mohamad, “Debate on President's Address”, in Parliamentary Debates: Official Report (Parliament of Singapore), volume 94:

like he can’t just suka-suka go off alone here.

2016, Mark Z. Danielewski, The Familiar, Volume 3: Honeysuckle & Pain, →ISBN, page 440:

“It’s government-owned land, you know. […] If everyone is like him, suka suka go and claim land for themselves, can you imagine what will happen?”

2023, Agnes Chew, Eternal Summer of My Homeland, Epigram Books, →ISBN, page 29:

(Singlish) As one pleases, whenever, on a whim; freely and without regard for future consequences.


pang sai

[ˈp˭aŋ(˦˨)ˌsaɪ˦˨]

Then why Hong Kong people stock toilet paper? Because monkey see monkey do. Hong Kong people stock toilet paper because people scared toilet paper come from China, tomorrow China no toilet paper, we all cannot go pang sai.

2020 February 20, Chan Chun Sing, as quoted, “Full transcript of 25-minute leaked audio recording of Chan Chun Sing dialogue with SCCCI”, in Mothership.sg:

(Singlish, colloquial, intransitive) To defecate; to shit.


barang-barang

Borrowed from Malay barang-barang (“stuff”).

Please remove all your barang-barang from the empty space next to you.

1987, Sylvia Toh Paik Choo, On the Buses, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Landmark Books, →ISBN, page 70:

Let me also address concerns about space. Taxis and PHCs [private-hire cars] have to carry whatever barang barang commuters bring. How can they squeeze two child car seats into storage?

2021 May 11, Louis Ng Kok Kwang, “Providing Child Car Seats in Taxis and Private Hire Cars”, in Parliamentary Debates: Official Report (Parliament of Singapore), volume 95:

(Singlish, Manglish) One's personal belongings; or more broadly, miscellaneous articles or things, paraphernalia.


rabz

rabz (comparative more rabz, superlative most rabz)

more rabz (comparative)
most rabz (superlative)

Clipping of rabak (“messed up”) + -z (suffix forming colloquialisms), from Malay rabak (“ragged; in tatters”).

suffix

(Singlish, never attributive) Synonym of rabak (“out of control, messed up”).


pundeh

“After a while I went over to her and I realised that this stupid bitch I tell you, she had swallowed poison deh! Bloody pundeh!”

2012, Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh, Floating on a Malayan Breeze: Travels in Singapore and Malaysia, NUS Press, →ISBN, page 178:

(Singlish, Manglish, vulgar) Cunt; vulgar Tamil-language term of address doubling as an expression of annoyance, frustration or displeasure.


ji bai

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial, vulgar) Alternative form of cheebai (“cunt”).


cheebye

(Singapore, colloquial, vulgar) Alternative form of chee bye (“cunt”).


pi sai

en-noun

pi sai (countable and uncountable, plural pi sai)

/ˌpiː˨ ˈsaɪ˦˨/

From either or both Hokkien 鼻屎 (phīⁿ-sái) and Teochew 鼻屎 (pin⁷ sai²).


cockanathan

cock + Tamil நாதன் (nātaṉ, “lord”, common suffix for given names).

der

As far as I’m concerned, there is only one Nathan here, and that Nathan is you, because you are a cockanaden!

2012 February 7 [2007], Laremy Lee, Radio Silence, →ISBN:

(Singapore, Singlish, uncommon) Idiot, foolish person.


buah duku

Unadapted borrowing from Malay buah duku (“fruit of the tree Lansium domesticum, langsat”).

unadapted borrowing

Lansium domesticum
Lansium domesticum#Translingual

(Singapore, Malaysia) Synonym of langsat (“A small, whitish-brown fruit from the tree Lansium domesticum”).


baluku

Corruption of Malay buah duku (“fruit of the tree Lansium domesticum, langsat”).

der

My head hit the windscreen, so baluku lor.

2018, Jean Tay, Sisters & Senang: The Island Plays, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Scene 12, page 73:

(colloquial, Singapore) A swollen bruise or bump on the head; a goose egg.


balukoo

(colloquial, Singapore) Alternative spelling of baluku (“A swelling or bump on the head”).


lao sai

[ˈlaʊ˦˨ ˈsaɪ˦˨]

It is like going to a place with no 'jamban' [toilet] but you have to 'lao sai'.

2012, Oolong Cha, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

But they have no track record! […] How you know their food is clean or not? Wait you eat already lao sai eh?

2012, Alfian Sa'at, “The Stall Next Door”, in Cooling-Off Day, Singapore: Ethos Books, →ISBN, page 96:

(colloquial, Singapore, Singlish, intransitive) To have diarrhoea.


lao sai

[ˈlaʊ˦˨ ˈsaɪ˦˨]

(colloquial, Singapore, Singlish) Diarrhoea.


suka suka

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative form of suka-suka.


kiasuism

kiasu + -ism, from Hokkien 驚輸／惊输 (kiaⁿ-su, “afraid to lose out”)

(Singapore, Singlish, mildly derogatory) The mindset associated with being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).


kiasuness

kiasu + -ness, from Hokkien 驚輸／惊输 (kiaⁿ-su, “afraid to lose out”)

(Singapore, Singlish, mildly derogatory) The quality of being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).


kiasiness

kiasi + -ness, from Hokkien 驚死／惊死 (kiaⁿ-sí, “afraid to die”)

(Singapore, Singlish, mildly derogatory) The quality of being kiasi, a stereotypically Singaporean attitude associated with being overly wary and willing to take excessive measures to avoid risk.


kengster

keng + -ster, the first element is a clipping of chao keng, from Teochew 臭 (cao³, “dirty, ill-reputed”) + 經 /经 (gêng¹, “to evade; to pass the buck”).

(Singapore, Singlish, derogatory) Someone who avoids work, military duties or other responsibilities by constantly reporting sick; a malingerer.


kenasai

(slang, derogatory, vulgar) Alternative form of kena sai.


cheemology

(Singlish) Alternative form of chiminology.


kena sai

/ˈkənɑ ˈsaɪ˦˨/

[ˈkə˧nä˦ ˈsaɪ˦˨]

From Malay kena (“to incur”) + Hokkien 屎 (sái, “shit”). By surface analysis, kena (“to be affected by (something negative)”) + sai (“shit”).

surf

kenasai (alternative)
kanasai (alternative)

(slang, derogatory, vulgar) To get into trouble, to be in deep shit.


chao ta

en-adj

chao ta (comparative more chao ta, superlative most chao ta)

more chao ta (comparative)
most chao ta (superlative)
chow ta (alternative)
chao tah (alternative)
chow tah (alternative)
chao tar (alternative)
chow tar (alternative)

[ˈtʃʰaʊ˦˨ ˈt˭ɑː˦˨]

The 'chao ta' (burnt) portions of the bak kwa indicate that the meat has been exposed to extremely high temperatures.

2015 February 18, Andrea Seet, quoting Dr Wong Seng Weng, “How many floors to walk up to burn off that bak kwa? A guide to post-CNY exercise”, in The New Paper, Singapore:

(colloquial, Singapore) Burnt and charred (e.g., from overcooking).


chao tah

chao tah (comparative more chao tah, superlative most chao tah)

more chao tah (comparative)
most chao tah (superlative)

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative spelling of chao ta.


chow tah

chow tah (comparative more chow tah, superlative most chow tah)

more chow tah (comparative)
most chow tah (superlative)


chow ta

chow ta (comparative more chow ta, superlative most chow ta)

more chow ta (comparative)
most chow ta (superlative)


chao tar

chao tar (comparative more chao tar, superlative most chao tar)

more chao tar (comparative)
most chao tar (superlative)


chow tar

chow tar (comparative more chow tar, superlative most chow tar)

more chow tar (comparative)
most chow tar (superlative)


lecheh

lecheh (comparative more lecheh, superlative most lecheh)

more lecheh (comparative)
most lecheh (superlative)

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative form of leceh.


saikang warrior

en-noun

saikang warrior (plural saikang warriors)

saikang warriors (plural)
sai kang warrior (alternative)

[ˈsaɪ˦˨ k˭ɑŋ˦ ˈwɒɹɪə]

From Hokkien 屎工 (sái-kang, “undesirable, menial tasks”, literally “shit jobs”) + warrior.

der

moe teachers are sai kang warriors.
real teachers give tuition.

2024 April 26, Unregistered, “Career as Teacher”, in Salary.sg Forums:

(Singapore, slang) Someone who is always assigned or forced to do unpleasant tasks.


sai kang warrior

en-noun

sai kang warrior (plural sai kang warriors)

(Singapore, slang) Alternative form of saikang warrior.


steady pom pi pi

[ˈstɛ̝˧.di˦ ˌpɔm˨ ˌpiː˦ ˌpiː˦]

Singapore English steady (“solid, cool-headed, reliable”) + Hokkien 歕觱觱 /𬅫觱觱 (pûn pi-pi, “to blow a whistle”, onomatopoeic).

der

(Singapore, Singlish, old-fashioned or humorous) Calm; self-assured.


orh hor

[ˈɔː˨ ˈhɔːː˧˦˨]

Possibly from Hokkien 嗚呼 /呜呼 (o͘-ho͘, “used to express condolences in funeral orations; (euphemistic) to die, to pass away”).

bor

When I was done, I turned to him and did that finger pointing 'orh-hor' motion and he mouthed 'sorry, sorry' and bowed a little.

2017 August 2, Kimberly Meagan, quotee, “Woman warns others of man who allegedly tries to scam people into paying his bills at AXS machine”, in stomp.straitstimes.com:

We are basically aunties on the “orh hor” bandwagon who name and shame.

2019 April 25, Gemma Iso, quoting Kethlyn Gayatiri Koh, “Netizen ‘defends’ Nicholas Lim and says “Why do people enjoy playing God, in deciding what is enough?””, in theindependent.sg:

Over a work lunch, I conducted a casual experiment and recorded a grand total of 7 fucks given in the span of an hour. So to many Singaporean Chinese youth, the first response by Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam felt like a father chiding a child:
“Orh hor, you say four-letter word!” […]

2019 August 30, Dennis Chen, “Should Older and Younger Singaporeans Just Agree to Disagree About Vulgarities?”, in ricemedia.co:

Children sometimes know that making fun of someone on the basis of their race is wrong, and other children might jump in with, "Orh hor, racist," to intervene or signal to the offender that they had gone off-limits.

2023, Kristian-Marc James Paul, Myle Yan Tay, Mysara Aljaru, Brown is Redacted: Reflecting on Race in Singapore, Ethos Books, →ISBN:

(Singapore, Singlish, childish, humorous, colloquial or sarcastic) An interjection expressing disapproval, used to tease someone who has done something wrong, subsequently getting themselves into trouble.


or hor

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative spelling of orh hor.


heng ah

/ˈheŋ˦ ɑː(˧˨)/

From Teochew 興啊 /兴啊 (hêng¹ a⁷) or Hokkien 幸啊 (hēng--a). By surface analysis, heng (“lucky”) + ah (used for emphasis).

surf

"Heng ah," Tan sighed. "Nightmare only."

2010 January 6, Victor Yek, Abyss (ebook), →ISBN:

Political succession in Singapore is clear as mud but the People’s Action Party have announced the office-bearers in their central executive committee. […]

2018 November 24, Kirsten Han, “#31: Heng ah, I haven't kena defamation. (Not yet.)”, in wethecitizens.net:

"We called it Tankfully Fresh because it's the feeling we want our customers to have when they open their package, like 'heng ah, it's fresh'," said Mr Goh, using the Hokkien term for thankfully or luckily.

2019 August 21, Lester Wong, quoting Jimmy Goh, “Wet market seafood online orders delivered to your doorstep, thankfully fresh”, in The Straits Times, archived from the original on 2024-03-25:

(Manglish, Singlish) Phew!, thank goodness; expressing relief, e.g., when an extremely unlucky outcome has been avoided.


pek chek

en-adj

pek chek (comparative more pek chek, superlative most pek chek)

more pek chek (comparative)
most pek chek (superlative)

[ˈpek̚˦ ˌt͡sʰek̚˧˨]

"Don't need to talk so loud lah, everybody stay at home very pek chek (frustrated) already," he added.

2020 May 26, Mandy How, quoting Mark Lee, “How Mark Lee manages familial relationships when everyone is 'pek chek' from staying at home”, in Mothership.sg:


cheeko pek

cheeko peks (plural)
cheekopek (alternative)
chee ko pek (alternative)
cheeko-pek (alternative)
chikopek (alternative)
chi ko pek (alternative)
cheekopeh (alternative)
cheeko peh (alternative)

[ˌt͡ʃʰi(ː)˧ k˭o(ː)ˈp˭eʔ˦˧]

From Hokkien 痴哥伯 (chhi-ko-peh) or Teochew 痴哥伯 (ci¹ go¹ bêh⁴, “dirty old man; lecher; pervert”).

bor

Also keeping an eye on Ivy is Towkay Tan, a greasy, plumpish old man best described as a cheeko-pek.

1994, Michael Chiang, Private Parts & Other Play Things: A Collection of Popular Singapore Comedies (Paperback), →ISBN, Beauty World, page 117:

Lest someone think I’ve started a degree course at the School of Chee Ko Peks, I’m utterly indifferent to the show.

2005 December 10, Neil Humphreys, Weekend Today, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, page 24:

[…] lexical innovations, especially compounds, some of them with all elements of English origin, others of hybrid nature: e.g., White Horse (“the sons of politicians or other important persons”), hawker stall/hawker centre (s.a.), void deck (“empty space kept for social functions on the ground floor of apartment blocks”), airflown (“freshly imported (food)”), but also hybrid compounds such as botak head (“bald head”) and cheeko peg (“dirty old man”) […]

2019, Sarah Buschfeld, Children’s English in Singapore: Acquisition, Properties, and Use, →ISBN, Singapore English, page 33:

“Since the courts were often near HDB blocks, a personal worry was that a resident would see the drone outside their window, and think I’m a ‘cheeko peh’” said Mr Ong, referring to a Singlish term for a dirty old man.

2019 October 12, Cara Wong, quoting Ong Wee Jin, “Through the Lens: ST photojournalists share tips on drone use at photo exhibition at National Museum”, in The Straits Times, SPH Media, archived from the original on 2019-10-13:

(Singlish, derogatory) A dirty old man; a pervert.


cheeko pek

en-adj

cheeko pek (comparative more cheeko pek, superlative most cheeko pek)

more cheeko pek (comparative)
most cheeko pek (superlative)
cheekopek (alternative)
chee ko pek (alternative)
cheeko-pek (alternative)
chikopek (alternative)
chi ko pek (alternative)
cheekopeh (alternative)
cheeko peh (alternative)

[ˌt͡ʃʰi(ː)˧ k˭o(ː)ˈp˭eʔ˦˧]

MR Adanan Khamis is the leading contender for the Mr Cheeko-pek (lecherous) title in this year's Manhunt contest.

1993 June 25, Goh Teng Teng, “Hunt on for Mr Cheeko-pek”, in The New Paper, Singapore: SPH Media, page 16:

This pic abit like the hk actor, cheekopek one..benny chan?

2017 January 18, FluteGuan, “Mediacorp Artists - News And Gossips 新传媒新闻和八卦 (Compiled)”, in blowingwind.io (forum), page 412:

Eee! You very cheekopek!

2009 February 20, Phin Wong, Today, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English, Singapore: Mediacorp Press, page 34:

(Singlish, derogatory) Having lecherous inclinations; sick, depraved, sexually perverted.


chee ko pek

(Singlish) Alternative form of cheeko pek.


chee ko pek

chee ko pek (comparative more chee ko pek, superlative most chee ko pek)

more chee ko pek (comparative)
most chee ko pek (superlative)


cheeko-pek

cheeko-pek (comparative more cheeko-pek, superlative most cheeko-pek)

more cheeko-pek (comparative)
most cheeko-pek (superlative)


chikopek

chikopek (comparative more chikopek, superlative most chikopek)

more chikopek (comparative)
most chikopek (superlative)


chi ko pek

chi ko pek (comparative more chi ko pek, superlative most chi ko pek)

more chi ko pek (comparative)
most chi ko pek (superlative)


cheekopek

cheekopek (comparative more cheekopek, superlative most cheekopek)

more cheekopek (comparative)
most cheekopek (superlative)


tiko pek

tiko peks (plural)
ti ko pek (alternative)
tikopek (alternative)

From Hokkien 猪哥伯 (ti-ko peh, “dirty old man; lecherous and licentious man”, literally “uncle boar”).

bor

(Singlish, derogatory) Synonym of cheeko pek; dirty old man.


tiko pek

en-adj

tiko pek (comparative more tiko pek, superlative most tiko pek)

more tiko pek (comparative)
most tiko pek (superlative)
ti ko pek (alternative)
tikopek (alternative)

(Singlish, derogatory) Synonym of cheeko pek; lecherous.


ti ko pek

(Singlish) Alternative form of tiko pek.


ti ko pek

ti ko pek (comparative more ti ko pek, superlative most ti ko pek)

more ti ko pek (comparative)
most ti ko pek (superlative)


tikopek

tikopek (comparative more tikopek, superlative most tikopek)

more tikopek (comparative)
most tikopek (superlative)


cheekopeh

cheekopeh (comparative more cheekopeh, superlative most cheekopeh)

more cheekopeh (comparative)
most cheekopeh (superlative)


cheeko peh

cheeko peh (comparative more cheeko peh, superlative most cheeko peh)

more cheeko peh (comparative)
most cheeko peh (superlative)


knn

(Singapore, Malaysia, colloquial, vulgar) Alternative letter-case form of KNN.


half fuck

(Singapore, Singlish, vulgar) Alternative form of half-fuck.


half-fuck

The service is very much like in Japan, where you would be greeted heartily upon entry and smiled at politely by all the staff. And I don’t mean the half-fuck kind you get from Singaporean waiters going “Irrashamase~”, but “IRRASHAMASE!!!”, echoed by the chefs as well with heart and spirit.

2011 August 22, Alex Kwa, “Tonkotsu King Keisuke”, in alexkwa.com:

it all starts small at first, lies, late replies, half fuck answers, […]

(Singapore, Singlish, vulgar) Half-assed; done without care or seriousness.


anyhow whack

[ˈɛ˧.ni˦.haʊ˦ ˈwɛk̚˦]

From anyhow (“carelessly”) + whack (“to attempt something blindly”, Singapore English), the latter a semantic loan from Malay hentam (“to strike; to do something carelessly”).

sl

Miss Loi always tells her students not to anyhow whack, stay calm and know thy approach before attempting each question.

2007 September 17, “Composite Functions – Anyhow Whack Time!”, in exampaper.com.sg:

She also makes it her personal mission to advocate healthy eating to strangers she shares a table with at food courts. “(I do so because) I feel sorry for them. I used to be like them, ‘anyhow eat, anyhow whack’, never thinking of the consequences. Some will thank me, but some laugh it off,” she said.

2017 August 25, Toh Ee Ming, quoting Christine Lee, “Self-control, group support help diabetic patients to manage disease”, in Today, Mediacorp Publications, archived from the original on 2024-09-19:

Imo some durians look the same. Today MSW $18, tomorrow it's $20. How do sellers decide the price? Like anyhow whack one.

2021 July 20, anonymous author, “How do durian sellers determine the prices of the different varieties?”, in seedly.sg:

(Singapore, Singlish) To do something hastily or randomly without real consideration or planning.

(Singapore, Singlish) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see anyhow, whack.


sial ah

[ˈsjɑl˦ ɑː˧˨]

Unadapted borrowing from Malay sial + ah.

siala (alternative)
sialah (alternative)
sia lah (alternative)
siah lah (alternative)
sial lah (alternative)

We were just sitting in the basement and talking when we heard some knocks. So we thought, ey siala, got something. So we decided okay lah, time to go.

(Manglish, Singlish) Interjection, used to express discontent, shock, exasperation or surprise.

sia

same meaning, used at the end of sentences


sialah

(Manglish, Singlish) Alternative form of sial ah.


shee shee

[ʃiː˨ ʃiː˨˦]

Borrowed from Cantonese 𭉝𭉝 (syu⁴ syu⁴⁻²), when the initials of both syllables were still [ɕ] during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Compare Portuguese xixi, and Hawaiian English shishi.


pang jio

[ˈp˭aŋ˦˨ ˌdjoː˨]

(Singlish, intransitive) To urinate; to pee.


lorh

(Manglish, Singlish) Alternative spelling of lor.


man mode

(Singapore, military, slang) A state of mind in which one is too fatigued to contribute, make decisions or do anything beyond the bare minimum required.


man-mode

(Singapore, military, slang) Alternative form of man mode.


eye power

(Singapore, slang, intransitive) To stand by idly without helping or contributing.


eye power

(Singapore, slang, intransitive) The practice of standing by idly without helping or contributing.


tombalik

en-adj

tombalik (comparative more tombalik, superlative most tombalik)

more tombalik (comparative)
most tombalik (superlative)

(Singapore, Singlish, erroneous) Alternative form of terbalik (“upside-down”).


tombalek

tombalek (comparative more tombalek, superlative most tombalek)

more tombalek (comparative)
most tombalek (superlative)


jalan jalan

(Manglish, Singlish) Alternative form of jalan-jalan (“to go for a walk”).


tikam-tikam

Unadapted borrowing from Malay tikam-tikam (“to stab repeatedly; to choose randomly”), from a reduplication of tikam.

unadapted borrowing

They cannot complain. Tikam-tikam means, play with chance. Sometimes win, sometimes lose.

2021 December 7, Yap Swi Neo, You Might Want To Marry My Husband: Reflections from Life, Monsoon Books Pte. Limited, →ISBN:

Some days, it felt more like gambling than expert precision: Just tikam-tikam, lah! (Malay for “choose randomly,” commonly used by impatient people queueing to buy 4D tickets).

2023 March 3, Sophia Shi Yin Chin, Dancing On The Edge Of Greatness: Making Leadership Personal, World Scientific Publishing Company, →ISBN:

(Manglish, Singlish) To choose (something) at random.


tikam-tikam

it's open secret that finance industry is all tikam tikam one.

(Manglish, Singlish) Arbitrarily chosen; characterized by random choices.


tikam tikam

(Manglish, Singlish) Alternative form of tikam-tikam.


ah kua

/ˌɑː˨ ˈk˭wɑː˦/

ah gua (alternative)
ah qua (alternative)
ah kwa (alternative)
AQ (alternative)
AK (alternative)

(Singapore, Singlish, derogatory) Sissy, effeminate.


ah gua

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative spelling of ah kua.


nowsaday

Nowsaday, Singapore is having more and more “foreign talents” from China, India, Indonesia, and Philippines.

2011, Warren Mark Liew, chapter 12, in Critical Qualitative Research in Second Language Studies: Agency and Advocacy, Information Age, →ISBN, page 121:

(Singapore, Singlish) Synonym of nowadays.


die liao

die + liao (indicates a change of state), from Hokkien 了 (liáu) or Teochew 了 (liao²), with the tone of Mandarin 了 (liǎo).
Partial calque of Hokkien 死了 (sí liáu).

[…] the exam so hard, i die liao lah (that paper was tough as hell, i'm sure to flunk).

2001 September 19, destrius', Everything2:

dont join smrt lar.. with their frequent breakdowns, they are facing alot^([sic]) of scrutiny from the public, stakeholders and regulators. anything goes wrong n they need a scapegoat den u die liao.

2014 September 2, Unregistered, “Engineer in SMRT”, in Salary.sg Forums, archived from the original on 2014-03-22:

(Manglish, Singlish, intransitive, hyperbolic) Used to suggest that one is doomed, or as good as dead.

(Manglish, Singlish, intransitive) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see die, liao.


si liao

/ˈsiː˦˨ ˌljaʊ˦˨/

[ˈsiː˦˧ ˌljaʊ˦˨]

(Singapore, Singlish) Synonym of die liao.


like real

(colloquial, Singapore) As if!; used to suggest that something is highly unlikely.


see how

Ah Meng felt the twinge again. He’d come this far. See how, lor. If got chance then got chance. No chance then no chance.

2014, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, Singapore Noir, Akashic Books, →ISBN, page 91:

Okay I see how. You make sure you study very well.

2019 September 20, Yeo Boon Ping, quoting Ikhmal, “Ikhmal, Father of 6, Responds to Online Comments”, in ricemedia.co, archived from the original on 2024-09-11:

(Singapore, Singlish) To see how things go; to wait longer before deciding or committing to something.


kachiau

(Singlish) Alternative spelling of kacau (“to disturb; to bother (someone)”).


chewren

[ˈtʃʰjuː˧.ɹən˦]

(exaggerated Singlish) Pronunciation spelling of children.


chou chou

[ˈt͡ʃʰoʊ˦˨ ˌt͡ʃʰoʊ˦˨]

Borrowed from Singaporean Mandarin 臭臭 (chòuchou, literally “smelly (thing)”).

bor

(Singapore, Singlish, typically childish) A personal comfort item; a small pillow, bolster, blanket or other huggable item retained from one's childhood.


lor sor

en-adj

lor sor (comparative more lor sor, superlative most lor sor)

more lor sor (comparative)
most lor sor (superlative)

From Hokkien 囉嗦 /啰嗦 (lô-so) or Cantonese 囉嗦 /啰嗦 (lo¹ so¹).

(Singlish) Troublesome, annoying, involving much hassle.


kan ni na bu chao chee bye

[ˈk˭an˦ ˈni˦ ˈnaː˨˦ ˈbuː˦˨ ˈt͡sʰaʊ˦˨ ˈt͡s˭iː˧ ˈbaɪ˦]

Combination of kan ni na bu + chao chee bye, from Hokkien 姦恁娘母臭膣屄 /奸恁娘母臭膣屄 (“fuck your mother's stinking cunt”).

bor

KNNBCCB (alternative)
kan ni na beh chao chee bye (alternative)
kan ni na bu chao chee bai (alternative)

(Singlish, Manglish, vulgar) Extreme expression of anger or frustration.


KNNBCCB

kan ni na bu chao chee bye
kan ni na bu chao chee bye#English

kan ni na beh chao chee bye
kan ni na beh chao chee bye#English

(Singlish, Manglish, vulgar) Abbreviation of kan ni na bu chao chee bye or kan ni na beh chao chee bye.


kan ni na beh chao chee bye

[ˈk˭an˦ ˈni˦ ˈnaː˨˦ ˈbeː˦˨ ˈt͡sʰaʊ˦˨ ˈt͡s˭iː˧ ˈbaɪ˦]

(Singlish, Manglish, vulgar) Alternative form of kan ni na bu chao chee bye.


kan ni na beh

(Singlish, Manglish, vulgar) Alternative form of kan ni na bu.


tai ji

[ˈt˭aɪ˩ t͡s˭iː˩]

From Hokkien 代誌 /代志 (tāi-chì, “affair, matter, (abstract) thing”).

taiji (alternative)
dai ji (alternative)
daiji (alternative)

Not my tai ji.

One of the uncles who had restrained the man then approached James, who said: "Never mind, you siam lah. Not your daiji ['business' in Hokkien]."

2018 June 7, Cherlynn Ng, “Man beaten unconscious for stopping alleged groping now gets scolded vulgarities for filming guy”, in stomp.straitstimes.com, archived from the original on 2018-07-26:

(Singlish, usually with a possessive noun or pronoun) One's business or responsibility. More often than not, used in a dismissive manner.

Ah well... 7.5 year old car, let sleeping dogs lie. If got daiji again then see how lol.

2022 July 24, Lala81, “Grinding racket”, in mycarforum.com:

(Singlish, less common) Problem, matters (some issue or responsibility that is an inconvenience to the one involved).


horrigible

en-adj

horrigible (comparative more horrigible, superlative most horrigible)

more horrigible (comparative)
most horrigible (superlative)


jiak kentang

[ˌt͡s˭jɑʔ˨˩ ˈk˭ən˧.t˭ɑŋ˦]

From Malaysian and Singaporean Hokkien 食kentang or 食蕳砃 /食𫈉砃 (chia̍h kan-tang), from 食 (chia̍h, “to eat”) + Malay kentang (“potatoes”), eating potatoes (rather than rice) was seen as a shift towards a more Westernized lifestyle.

(Singlish, Manglish, stative, derogatory, of someone) To be westernized; to have abandoned one's own cultural traditions in favour of a westernized lifestyle; (of an ethnically Chinese person) to be mostly monolingual in English and unable to speak Chinese well.

(Singlish, Manglish, rarer, humorous, literally) To eat potatoes.


jiak kentang

[ˌt͡s˭jɑʔ˨˩ ˈk˭ən˧.t˭ɑŋ˦]

(Singlish, Manglish, derogatory) Westernized; rejecting aspects of one's own culture or heritage in favour of Western ideologies and practices.

jook-sing

a Chinese or Asian person who understands English but not their native language

Pinkerton syndrome

an attitude among some Asian people to favour Westerners over their own people

Macaulay's children

Indians who hate their native culture in favour of Westernisation


jiak kantang

(Singlish, Manglish) Alternative form of jiak kentang.


bird bird

Reduplication of bird, a semantic loan from Hokkien 鳥 /鸟 (as in 𡳞鳥 /𡳞鸟 and 咕咕鳥 /咕咕鸟) and Malay burung (“bird; penis”).
Compare bird, which can also mean “penis” in North American slang.

(Singapore, Singlish, childish) One's penis.


ku ku bird

en-noun

ku ku bird (plural ku ku birds or ku ku bird)

ku ku birds (plural)
ku ku bird (plural)

[ˌk˭u˨ ˌk˭u˧ ˈbə(ː)d˦]

[ˌk˭u˨ ˌk˭u˨˦ -]

Partial calque of Hokkien 咕咕鳥 /咕咕鸟 (ku-kú-chiáu).

pcal

(Singlish, Manglish, humorous or childish) Penis


kachang puteh

(Singapore, Singlish) Alternative form of kacang puteh.