Raffles Hotel
Central Business District
Orchard Road at Christmas
Boat Quay
The Esplanade Theatre
The Fullerton Hotel on the Singapore River
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Singlish Archives
| 14-Aug-09 |
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Kiasu |
| Meaning: |
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Afraid to lose out to others. Always wanting the upperhand or something for free. |
| Example: |
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"Look at him so kiasu pushing people away to get a seat on the bus first." |
| 21-Aug-09 |
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So bad one |
| Meaning: |
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That's not nice of you! |
| Example: |
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"You so bad one. Want to make me lose face in front of boss. Don't lai dat next time!" |
| 28-Aug-09 |
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Ingrish |
| Meaning: |
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English |
| Examples: |
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"How to speak to him when he doesn't understand Ingrish?" |
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"Go holiday to Hong Kong is it? Neh mind, everything also Ingrish." |
| 04-Sep-09 |
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Ang moh |
| Meaning: |
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Caucasion. In Hokkien, literal translation is "red hair" |
| Example: |
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"Very hot weather! Ang moh cannot tahan. Look, his shirt soaking wet!" |
| 11-Sep-09 |
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Ma fan |
| Meaning: |
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To bother or annoy. |
| Example: |
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"My children like to ma fan me when I have work to do!" |
| 18-Sep-09 |
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Got Licence |
| Meaning: |
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To have permission. |
| Example: |
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"Eh, I saw you turn off your computer orready. You got licence to leave work early is it?" |
| 25-Sep-09 |
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Ah beng |
| Meaning: |
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Hokkien-speaking males who have poor fashion sense. |
| Example: |
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"Wah liao, that man so ah beng! Somebody should tell him take off that ugly shirt he wears lai dat." |
| 2-Oct-09 |
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Bo pian |
| Meaning: |
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A catch-22 or no-win situation. |
| Example: |
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"My wife and mother arguing again, must keep quiet. Bo pian, always." |
| 9-Oct-09 |
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Goondu |
| Meaning: |
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Stupid. |
| Example: |
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"Eh, goondu, why you cannot decide what to eat when set menu only!" |
| 16-Oct-09 |
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Lah |
| Meaning: |
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'Lah' is the salt of the Singlish dialogue-an indispensable utterance used liberally. It is used to convey acceptance, understanding, affection, lightness, jest and a medley of other positive feelings. It is seldom used with negative emotion. Sometimes it is used as a tag word with no particular meaning at all. Most commonly, it is heard as "okay lah". |
| Example: |
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"Don't know what to do lah!."
"Hurry up lah. I want to go home lah."
"Where we go for makan today lah?"
"Okay lah. I be more careful lah!"
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| 23-Oct-09 |
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Kopi |
| Meaning: |
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Coffee |
| Example: |
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"Come let's go buy kopi first, then back to work some more." |
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