Singlish Dictionary

BabyLover SG

Action (verb)
Derived from the English language meaning to show off.
Example: That fellow always like to action, walking around with his Rolex over his shirt sleeves.

Arrow (verb)
Derived from the English language meaning to be given a task that you don't want to do.
Example: I was arrowed to paint this wall.

Blur (adj)
Derived from the English language meaning does not know what is going on.
Example: He hasn't read up on the background to this project and was very blur at the meeting.

Boh-Chup (adj)
Derived from the Hokkien dialect meaning couldn't care less.
Example: Ah, boh-chup, I'm not going to hand in my assignment.

Chim (adj)
Pronounced 'cheem'.
Derived from the Hokkien dialect meaning profound.
Example: The professor's lecture was very chim.

Chope (verb)
Derived from the English language meaning to reserve.
Example: It's free seating at the concert, we need to get there early to chope seats for our group.

BabyLover SG

Gostun (verb)
Derived from the English language (go stern) meaning to reverse.
Example: He overshot the turning so had to gostun back up the road.

Havoc (adj)
Derived from the English language meaning wild and uncontrollable.
Example: That person is very havoc, always out late every night.

Kayu (adj)
Pronounced 'kah-yoo'.
Derived from the Malay language meaning dumb or stupid.
Example: How come he is so kayu? Teach him so many times and he still cannot do it.

Kiasu (adj)
Pronounced 'kee-a-soo'.
Derived from the Hokkien dialect meaning afraid to lose out to others or not to lose face.
Example: He sent his family to line up in different queues for the same item, so kiasu.

Lah
The most famous of Singaporean expressions used at the end of sentences for emphasis.
Example: Very funny, lah!

Langgar (verb)
Derived from the Malay language meaning to collide.
Example: This van suddenly pulled out and langgar my car.

BabyLover SG

Obiang (adj)
Derived from the Hokkien dialect meaning ugly or outdated.
Example: This dress is so obiang! Who is going to buy it?

Pai seh (adj)
Pronounced 'pie-say'.
Derived from the Hokkien dialect meaning embarrassed or shy.
Example: That's the third time I've forgotten her name. So pai seh.

Shiok (adj)
Pronounced 'shee-oak'
Derived from the Malay language (Straits Chinese) meaning fantastic or marvellous.
Example: That prawn mee soup was shiok!"

Sekali
A word meaning suddenly.
Example: "I was about to make a right turn. Sekali this car appears from nowhere and nearly langgar me!"

Solid (adj)
Derived from the English language meaning great or superb.
Example: Did you see how he scored the goal? Solid, man!

Sotong (adj)
Derived from the Malay language meaning does not know what is going on. Similar meaning to 'blur'. (Sotong is the Malay word for octopus which squirts ink and clouds everything.)
Example: This has been going on for months, didn't you know? Sotong!

Suaku (noun)
Pronounced 'soo-ah-koo'.
Derived from the Hokkien dialect meaning country bumpkin.
Example: Don't be so suaku lah, don't you know what a VCD player is?

BabyLover SG

Terok (adj)
Derived from the Malay language meaning troublesome or difficult.
Example: That customer was very terok.

Tompang (verb)
Pronounced 'tome-pang'.
Derived from the Malay language meaning to ride on or request a favour.
Example: You're going to the post office? Can I tompang some letters to be mailed?

Ulu (adj)
Pronounced 'oo-loo'.
Derived from Malay language meaning rural or a deserted place.
Example: This place is so ulu, you hardly see a single soul around even on weekends.

Ya Ya (adj)
An expression meaning boastful or arrogant.
Example: Wah, he's so ya ya

BabyLover SG

is it all here? still got anymore or not..

^spidee^ SG

Do you know what 'Chee hong' means? I know Buaya beens flirt, is Chee hong something like Buaya? Very Happy

alexkusu SG

A not especially polite way of describing a man pursuing the affections of a woman.
"Eh, she damn jude. You think I should go and pok her?"

Also known as POK

alexkusu SG

A BIT THE
A Singlish phrase meaning 'very', always said in a clearly sarcastic tone.
1. " Wah, you a bit the late, hor!"
2. "Piang eh, your shirt a bit the short, man!"

ABOURIT
Sloppy pronunciation of "about it".
Aiyah, this kind of small thing, don' worrage abourit.

ACT (ADJECTIVE) BUAY (ADJECTIVE)
To fail miserably at affecting a pose. Substitute any adjective of your choice.

ACT BLUR
To play innocent
I know you know who did it, so dont act blur!

ACT CUTE
A phrase which describes behaving in an exaggeratedly cute or adorable fashion. Can be used as both verb and adjective. Usually performed by females who appear they cannot escape their childhood.
1. "Eh, Ah Lian is always so act cute one! She trying to be smurf, is it?"
2. "Ah, ignore her, lah. She's just acting cute again."

ACT CUTE BUAY CUTE/A.C.B.C.
Literally describes the common occurrence of a Singaporean girl trying to pander to a guy's wishes, but failing miserably.
"Ee-yurr. I tell you, I damn buay tahan watching Ah Lien try to get Ah Beng to go kwa meenite with her. Damn ACBC one."

alexkusu SG

ACT LIAN BUAY LIAN, ACT BENG BUAY BENG/AI LIAN BUAY LIAN, AI BENG BUAY BENG
To fail at being an Ah Lian or Ah Beng, despite trying.
"Wah lau, Johnson is damn condemn. Act Beng buay beng. Si beh hopeless."

ACTION
Arrogant and haughty. Basically the same as "Ya Ya' and "Dao". Also sometimes used to mean "full of hot air."
"You don'ch talk so much, action only!"

ADOI
A Malay exclamation of disgust or pain, similar to "alamak", but used to denote a lesser degree of exasperation.

AGAIN?
A much more economical way of saying, "I beg your pardon?"

alexkusu SG

AGAK TAREK
A Malay phrase literally broken down as 'estimate' (agak) and 'pull' (tarek). It means to "hold back" or "be charitable" or "not to go too far".
"Don't talk so bad about him. Agak tarek a bit and give him some face, lah."

AGAK-AGAK
(ah-gah, ah-gah)
Malay term meaning "to estimate".

AGARATION
(ah-gah-ray-shun)
The noun form of the Malay verb "agak-agak", which means to estimate.
"I arrived at the number through agaration."

AH BENG
An unsophisticated Chinese boy, usually Hokkien. Stereotypically, he speaks gutter hokkien and likes neon-coloured clothes, spiky, moussed hair and accessories such as handphones or pagers, all of which are conspicuously displayed. He also likes to squat, even when a seat is available.
"Wah lao eh, why you so chao ah beng one?" (Goodness, why are you such an ah beng?)

alexkusu SG

AH BENG AH SENG
A group of Ah Bengs.
"Why you go and make friend with those Ah Beng Ah Seng?" (Why are you associating with those Ah Bengs?)

AH CHEK
"Uncle", a generic name used to address an older man.

AH HUAY
A pet-name which literally means, "Flower". Interchangeable with "Ah Lian".

AH KAH AH CHEW
(' kah ah' chew)
Hokkien phrase literally meaning "duck legs, duck hands". Used to describe someone's extremely poor coordination. "Ah Kah" and "Ah Chew" can be used separately.
1. "Don't go and ask him to help you set up the stage. He's very the ah kah ah chew."
2. "Wah lau, like that also cannot score! The player is damn ah kah, one!"

AH KONG
Hokkien for Grandpa.

AH KOW
A pet-name which literally means, "dog." A generic name given to the sidekicks of the Ah Beng, as well as dogs.

AH LIAN
A pet-name which literally means, "lotus flower". The female equivalent of an Ah Beng - an unsophisticated Chinese girl. Stereotypically dresses in neon colours, wears a huge ribbon perched on the top of her head, and carries a tiny basket.

BabyLover SG

Laughing

^spidee^ SG

Very educational indeed. Mr. Green

laurence82 SG

u all bery bad wor, gahmen say must spiak good england

thats why i follow gahmen, now i spiak better england ler

next year, i want to take my air level u noe......

monkeybusiness SG

from the way u type, i am not surprised if u fail Laughing Mr. Green