abang
Older brother (Malay); also a friendly way to call a man a bit older than you.
“Abang, this one how much ah?”
A
abuden
Of course, what else? Said when the answer is obvious (from “ah, but then?”).
“You studied the whole night, then you pass lor? Abuden.”
achar
Spicy pickled vegetables, Nyonya or Indian style.
“The nasi lemak comes with a bit of achar on the side.”
action
Showing off, acting cool.
“Wah, new shades somemore, so action.”
adik
Younger sibling (Malay); also how you call a kid or a young person.
“Adik, can help me pass the tissue?”
agak
Roughly, by estimate; “agak agak” means eyeball it.
“Don’t need to measure, just agak agak the salt.”
Also: agak agak
ah
Marks the topic before you say something about it, or turns a sentence into a question.
“This one ah, very expensive. You going ah?”
ah beng
The stereotype of a loud, flashy young guy, with spiky hair and a souped-up ride. Teasing, not kind.
“He used to be an ah beng, now a lawyer.”
Also: beng
ah gong
Grandfather; jokingly, the government.
“My ah gong still goes to the kopitiam every morning.”
ah lian
The female ah beng: loud, brash and loudly dressed. Teasing, not kind.
“She act ah lian but actually very sweet.”
Also: lian
ah ma
Grandmother.
“Ah ma cooks the best braised duck.”
Also: ah mah
ah pek
An older man, an uncle (literally father’s elder brother).
“The ah pek at the void deck plays chess every day.”
ah soh
A middle-aged woman, an auntie (literally elder brother’s wife).
“The ah soh at the market always gives me extra.”
aircon
Air-conditioner, or air-conditioning.
“So hot today, I’m staying home with the aircon on.”
aiyah
Oh well; a sigh of mild disappointment or resignation.
“Aiyah, the bus left already.”
aiyoh
Oh dear! For pain, dismay or exasperation.
“Aiyoh, why you never bring umbrella?”
Also: aiyo
aiyoyo
Oh dear, oh no: a longer, more dramatic aiyoh.
“Aiyoyo, the whole floor wet!”
alamak
Oh no! Said when something goes wrong.
“Alamak, I left my wallet at home!”
already
At the end of a sentence: something has happened, or things have changed. Like liao.
“I eat already, you go ahead.”
also can
That works too; either way is fine.
“Chicken or fish? Also can.”
amah
An old word for a nanny or domestic helper; the black-and-white amahs of old Singapore.
“My grandma’s family had an amah from Guangdong.”
ang moh
A white person, a Westerner (“red hair”). Usually just descriptive, sometimes cheeky.
“The ang moh at the stall ordered his kopi in Hokkien.”
Also: ang mo
angbao
Red packet of money given at Chinese New Year, weddings and birthdays.
“Collect so many angbao this year, rich already.”
Also: ang pow, ang bao, hongbao
angkat bola
To suck up to someone (literally “lift the ball”).
“Every meeting he angkat bola the manager.”
anyhow
Carelessly, without thinking (“anyhow whack”).
“Don’t anyhow press the buttons, later spoil.”
Also: anyhow whack
arrow
To assign a job to someone, usually one nobody wants.
“The boss arrowed me to do the year-end report.”
Also: kena arrow
assam
Tamarind, and the sour, spicy dishes made with it.
“Assam fish head with rice, very shiok.”
Also: asam
atas
Posh, high-class, or acting like it.
“This restaurant so atas, water also must pay.”
attap
Palm-leaf thatch for roofs; an attap house is a kampung hut.
“My grandpa grew up in an attap house in Lim Chu Kang.”
Also: atap
auntie
Any woman older than you, said with respect, whether related or not.
“Auntie, one kopi-O kosong, thanks.”
Also: aunty
ayam
Chicken (Malay); also someone weak or lousy at something.
“He so ayam at badminton, cannot even serve.”
B
baju
Clothes, a top (Malay), as in baju kurung.
“She wore a new baju for Hari Raya.”
bandung
Pink drink of rose syrup and milk.
“One iced bandung to cool down, please.”
banyak
Very, a lot (Malay).
“Banyak people at the mall today, cannot move.”
barang
Things, stuff, belongings (Malay).
“Pack your barang, we moving out tomorrow.”
belacan
Fermented shrimp paste, pounded into sambal belacan.
“The whole house smells of belacan when Mum cooks.”
Also: belachan
belanja
To treat someone, to pay for them.
“Got bonus? Then you belanja us lunch lah.”
best
Said with a sigh: great, just great, when things get worse.
“Best, now it’s raining and I got no umbrella.”
bluff
To lie to someone, fool them.
“Don’t bluff me, I know you never go.”
blur
Confused, slow to catch on (“blur like sotong”).
“Sorry, just woke up, still very blur.”
Also: blur like sotong
bo eng
Busy, no free time.
“This week bo eng, next week then meet.”
bo hua
Not worth it.
“Queue two hours for one bowl noodles, bo hua.”
bobian
No choice, nothing can be done (Hokkien).
“Last train gone already, bobian, take taxi.”
Also: boh pian, bo pian
bochap
Can’t be bothered, couldn’t care less (Hokkien).
“I call him so many times, he bochap me.”
Also: bo chup, bo chap
bodoh
Stupid, silly (Malay).
“Bodoh, the door is push, not pull!”
bojio
You didn’t invite me! Said when friends go out without you.
“You all went for supper last night? Bojio!”
Also: bo jio
boleh
Can, possible (Malay); “Singapore boleh!” cheers us on.
“Tomorrow got time? Boleh, see you there.”
boliao
Bored, with nothing better to do; doing something pointless.
“So boliao, counting the tiles on the ceiling.”
Also: bo liao
bomoh
Malay shaman or medicine man.
“In the kampung days, people called the bomoh when someone fell sick.”
botak
Bald, or with a shaved head.
“Enlist already, everybody botak.”
buay pai
Not bad, pretty good.
“This new bubble tea shop buay pai.”
buay song
Not happy, put out, annoyed.
“He buay song because nobody save him a seat.”
buay tahan
Can’t take it any more.
“The neighbour drilling since 8 am, I buay tahan already.”
buaya
Crocodile (Malay); a guy who flirts with every girl.
“Careful of him, he’s a buaya.”
bubur
Porridge (Malay), as in bubur cha cha, a sweet coconut-milk dessert.
“Bubur cha cha for dessert, still warm.”
bumboat
Small motorboat used to carry goods and people, like on the Singapore River or to Pulau Ubin.
“We took a bumboat from Changi Point to Ubin.”
bungkus
To pack food to take away (Malay).
“Uncle, two nasi lemak, bungkus.”
C
cabut
Run off, leave quickly (Malay).
“Police coming! Cabut!”
can or not
Is it possible? Will you? Also a dare: think you can do it?
“Tomorrow you fetch me at 7, can or not? Can!”
Also: can, can lah, can can
cannot make it
Not good enough, not up to the mark; also can’t come.
“This photo blur, cannot make it, take again.”
catch no ball
Don’t understand at all, totally lost.
“He explain three times already, I still catch no ball.”
cham
Terrible, in deep trouble (Hokkien).
“Cham liao, I lost my IC.”
chao keng
To fake being sick or unfit to get out of duty; NS slang.
“Every route march he sure chao keng.”
chapteh
Feathered shuttlecock kicked in the air; the game played with it.
“Last time we played chapteh at recess every day.”
char bor
A woman, a girl.
“Got so many char bor at the party.”
Also: cha bor
cheem
Deep, profound, hard to understand.
“This lecture too cheem for me.”
Also: chim
chendol
Iced dessert of green pandan jelly, coconut milk and gula melaka.
“Hot day, one bowl of chendol perfect.”
Also: cendol
chiku
Sapodilla, a sweet brown fruit.
“The chiku tree in my grandma’s garden very fruitful.”
Also: ciku
chio
Pretty, good-looking (Hokkien).
“Wah, your sister very chio.”
chio bu
A pretty girl.
“The chio bu at the counter smiled at you leh.”
Also: chiobu
chiong
Rush, go all out; also to party hard.
“Assignment due tomorrow, tonight must chiong.”
chop
A rubber stamp; “confirm plus chop” means guaranteed.
“Bring the form to the office for them to chop.”
Also: confirm plus chop
chop chop
Quickly, hurry up.
“Chop chop, the taxi waiting downstairs.”
chope
To reserve a seat, usually with a packet of tissue.
“I chope the table first, you go buy food.”
cincai
Anyhow, whatever, not fussy; done sloppily.
“Where to eat? Cincai lah, anything also can.”
Also: chin chai
confirm
Definitely, for sure (“confirm plus chop”).
“Got durian at the party? Confirm he come.”
D
damn
Very, extremely: a casual intensifier.
“The queue damn long today.”
diam
Keep quiet (Malay).
“Diam a bit, the baby sleeping.”
die die
No matter what, at all costs.
“This laksa die die must try.”
die liao
Done for, in big trouble.
“Die liao, I left my laptop on the bus.”
Also: die already
don’t play play
Don’t mess around, this is serious; also a warning not to underestimate someone.
“Don’t play play, he trained for the marathon one year.”
durian
The king of fruits, spiky and strong-smelling; banned on the MRT.
“Mao Shan Wang durian this year very sweet.”
E
eat snake
To skive, slack off at work while looking busy (Hokkien jiak zua, word for word).
“Boss on leave, everybody eat snake.”
eh
Hey: gets someone’s attention, or starts a question.
“Eh, you free this Saturday or not?”
encik
Mister (Malay); in NS, how you address a warrant officer.
“Yes, Encik! Understand, Encik!”
F
fetch
To pick someone up or drive them somewhere.
“Can fetch my son from school at 1?”
follow
To go along with someone, come too.
“You going to the mall? Can I follow?”
for what
Why bother? What’s the point?
“Buy so many shoes for what? Got feet only two.”
G
gabra
Flustered, panicky, clumsy under pressure.
“He so gabra, drop the microphone on stage.”
gahmen
The government, as it’s said.
“Gahmen say must wear mask, so wear lor.”
getai
Loud, glittery live stage show during the Hungry Ghost Festival.
“The getai at the carpark got front row seats left empty.”
gian
Craving, itching for something.
“Haven’t eat chilli crab for months, gian already.”
gila
Crazy (Malay).
“Run a marathon in this heat? You gila ah?”
gone case
A hopeless case: someone or something past saving.
“He still haven’t start revising? Gone case.”
gong
Silly, dumb (Hokkien and Cantonese).
“Don’t act gong, I know you heard me.”
goondu
Fool, idiot (a mild, old-school insult).
“Don’t be goondu, look left and right before crossing.”
goreng
Fried (Malay), as in mee goreng and goreng pisang.
“One mee goreng, extra spicy.”
gostan
Reverse a vehicle (from “go astern”); to back off.
“Wrong carpark, gostan, gostan!”
got
There is, there are; have; also did, before a verb.
“Got people sitting here? I got go already.”
gula
Sugar (Malay); gula melaka is palm sugar.
“The kueh got gula melaka inside, very sweet.”
Also: gula melaka
H
habis
Finished, used up; all over (Malay).
“Habis, the last bus gone already.”
handphone
A mobile phone.
“Call my handphone if you can’t find the place.”
Also: HP
hantam
To hit, or to do or guess something blindly.
“Don’t know the answer, just hantam.”
hantu
Ghost (Malay).
“Hungry ghost month, don’t go out so late, got hantu.”
haolian
Showing off, boastful (Hokkien).
“Got one A only, so haolian.”
hawker
A cooked-food stall holder, or the food centre itself.
“Singapore’s hawker culture is on UNESCO’s list.”
heaty
Food that “heats” the body: fried, spicy, durian. Too much gives sore throats.
“Eat so many durians, very heaty, drink some water.”
heng
Lucky.
“Heng ah, the bus came right when I reached.”
ho jiak
Delicious, good to eat.
“The char kway teow here very ho jiak.”
Also: ho chiak
hor
Looks for agreement (“right?”), or flags a warning or a telling-off.
“You hor, always late. Tomorrow must come early hor.”
hosay
Good, great, well off (Hokkien “ho seh”).
“New job ah? Hosay, more pay!”
Also: ho say, ho seh, ho say liao
huat
Prosper, strike it rich; “Huat ah!” at Chinese New Year.
“Toss the yusheng high, huat ah!”
Also: huat ah
I
ikan
Fish (Malay), as in ikan bilis.
“Ikan bilis and peanuts, the best part of nasi lemak.”
Istana
Palace (Malay); the President’s official home in Singapore.
“The Istana opens to the public on some public holidays.”
izzit
Is it? Really? A reply to almost anything.
“He moved to Australia? Izzit?”
Also: is it
J
jaga
Guard, watchman; to keep watch.
“The jaga at the condo gate very strict.”
jalan
Walk, road (Malay); “jalan jalan” means go for a stroll.
“After dinner we jalan jalan at East Coast.”
Also: jalan jalan
jiak
Eat (Hokkien).
“Jiak already or not?”
Also: chiak
jiak liao bee
Someone who eats but does no work: a freeloader, a slacker.
“The whole project I do, he jiak liao bee.”
jialat
Terrible, in a bad state, troublesome (Hokkien).
“Jialat, the whole road jammed.”
jom
Let’s go! Come on.
“Jom, the movie starting soon.”
K
kacang
Beans or peanuts (Malay); “ice kacang” is shaved-ice dessert.
“One ice kacang to share, please.”
Also: ice kacang
kacau
Disturb, bother, pester (Malay).
“Don’t kacau me, I’m working.”
kailan
Chinese kale, stir-fried with garlic or oyster sauce.
“Order one plate of kailan, must eat vegetables.”
kakak
Older sister (Malay); also how some address a domestic helper.
“Kakak, can help me hang the clothes?”
kaki
Buddy for an activity (Malay for “leg”): mahjong kaki, makan kaki.
“He’s my kopi kaki every morning.”
kambing
Goat, mutton (Malay).
“The sup kambing at this stall very famous.”
kampung
Village (Malay); kampung spirit is neighbours helping each other.
“My parents grew up in a kampung in Bukit Panjang.”
Also: kampong
kancheong
Anxious, flustered, in a nervous hurry.
“Don’t so kancheong, the flight is at 9 pm.”
Also: kan cheong, kan chiong
kantang
Potato; someone who speaks with an overdone Western accent.
“She come back from London, now so kantang.”
kantoi
Caught in the act, found out.
“He said he was sick, then kantoi at the cinema.”
kawan
Friend (Malay).
“We are kawan since primary school.”
kaya
Sweet coconut and egg jam, spread on toast.
“Kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs, the perfect breakfast.”
kaypoh
Busybody, nosy (Hokkien).
“Don’t so kaypoh, not your business.”
Also: kaypo
kebaya
Blouse-dress worn by Peranakan and Malay women, often embroidered.
“The SIA girls’ uniform is a sarong kebaya.”
kedekut
Stingy, miserly.
“Don’t be kedekut, belanja us one round.”
kelong
Offshore fishing platform on stilts; also a fixed, rigged game.
“Sure win one, this match kelong.”
kena
Get hit by, suffer (Malay); marks a bad thing happening to you.
“I kena caught in the rain.”
keng
Pretend to be sick or busy to skive.
“He keng headache to escape the run.”
kesian
Pitiful, poor thing (Malay).
“Kesian the cat, wet in the rain.”
Also: kasihan
ketupat
Rice cake boiled in a woven coconut-leaf pouch, eaten at Hari Raya.
“Ketupat with rendang, that’s Raya.”
kiam siap
Stingy, tight with money.
“So kiam siap, one cent also want to count.”
kiasi
Afraid of dying; overly cautious.
“He wear two helmets to cycle, so kiasi.”
kiasu
Afraid of losing out, so always grabbing first and queueing early.
“So kiasu, queue at 6 am for free bubble tea.”
kilat
Excellent, shiny, spotless (Malay for “lightning”); army slang.
“Polish your boots until kilat.”
kopi
Coffee, the kopitiam way, strong with condensed milk.
“Uncle, one kopi peng.”
kopi kaki
A friend you regularly meet for coffee and chats.
“Every morning six o’clock, my dad and his kopi kakis.”
kopi money
A small sweetener or tip, sometimes a small bribe.
“He slipped the guy some kopi money to rush the job.”
kopitiam
A traditional coffee shop with drinks and food stalls (kopi, Malay for coffee, and tiam, Hokkien for shop).
“Meet at the kopitiam downstairs for breakfast.”
kosong
Zero, empty, nothing (Malay); “teh kosong” has no sugar.
“Teh-O kosong, no sugar please.”
kowtim
Settled, done, sorted (Cantonese).
“Booking all kowtim, just show up.”
koyak
Torn, broken, spoilt (Malay).
“My umbrella koyak already.”
kpkb
To complain loudly and on and on; whining.
“Stop kpkb about the weather, cannot change one.”
Also: kao peh kao bu
kueh
Bite-sized cakes, often colourful and made with rice flour, coconut or pandan.
“Grandma always buys kueh from the market.”
Also: kuih
kum siah
Thank you.
“Kum siah ah, uncle, you help me a lot.”
Also: kamsiah, kam siah
L
lagi
More, even more; still.
“This one lagi nice than the last one.”
lah
The best-known particle: at the end of a sentence it softens a request, makes a statement firmer, or makes it sound friendlier. The tone carries it.
“Come lah, the food getting cold.”
Also: la
laksa
Noodles in spicy coconut-curry soup.
“Katong laksa, just use a spoon.”
lalang
Tall, coarse wild grass.
“The empty plot full of lalang.”
lansi
Arrogant, cocky (Hokkien).
“Win one game only, act so lansi.”
lapis
Layered (Malay); kueh lapis is a cake of many thin layers.
“Peel the kueh lapis layer by layer, the proper way.”
Also: kueh lapis
leceh
Troublesome, a hassle (Malay).
“So leceh, need to fill in three forms.”
leh
Makes a request gentler or a complaint sound a bit hurt; also “what about…?”.
“Help me carry this bag leh, very heavy.”
lemak
Rich and creamy with coconut milk (Malay), as in nasi lemak.
“The curry very lemak, very good.”
lepak
Loaf around, chill, hang out (Malay).
“Weekend nothing on, just lepak at home.”
liao
Already, as in finished or done for (Hokkien).
“Die liao, I forgot my homework.”
liddat
Like that.
“Why you liddat one?”
Also: like that
liddis
Like this.
“You must fold the paper liddis.”
Also: like this
lim kopi
To have coffee, and usually a chat with it.
“Free this afternoon? Come lim kopi.”
limpeh
Your father: a cocky way to say “me”.
“You think limpeh scared of you?”
Also: lim peh
lobang
Opportunity, a good deal (Malay for “hole”); a tip-off.
“Got any lobang for cheap flights?”
Also: lubang
lohei
Tossing the yusheng salad high for luck at Chinese New Year.
“Everybody stand up, lohei!”
Also: lo hei
longan
Small round fruit with a thin brown shell and sweet, translucent flesh.
“Longan in syrup for dessert.”
lontong
Rice cakes in a coconut vegetable curry.
“Lontong for breakfast on Sunday.”
lor
That’s how it is, nothing to be done: a shrug at the end of a sentence.
“No more seats, so we stand lor.”
Also: loh
M
macam
Like, as if (Malay).
“He talk macam he the boss.”
mah
It should be obvious: adds “of course, that’s why”.
“I told you already mah, why you never listen?”
mahjong
Four-player tile game, especially at Chinese New Year.
“The aunties play mahjong until 3 am.”
Majulah
Onward (Malay); from the national anthem, Majulah Singapura.
“Every morning in school we sing Majulah Singapura.”
Also: Majulah Singapura
makan
Eat; food (Malay).
“Let’s go makan, I’m starving.”
makcik
Auntie (Malay); an older woman.
“The makcik at the nasi padang stall gives big portions.”
malas
Lazy (Malay).
“So malas to go out today.”
malu
Embarrassed, ashamed (Malay).
“Fall down in front of everybody, so malu.”
mamak
Indian-Muslim food stall or shop; mamak shops sell a bit of everything.
“Go to the mamak shop downstairs buy bread.”
manja
Pampered, clingy, babyish (Malay).
“The cat very manja, always wants to be carried.”
mata
Police (Malay for “eyes”).
“Mata coming, don’t park there.”
MC
Medical certificate: a doctor’s note for sick leave, or the sick leave itself.
“I’m on MC today, cannot come in.”
meh
Turns a sentence into a doubtful question: really? are you sure?
“He can cook meh? I never see him cook before.”
Merlion
Singapore’s half-lion, half-fish mascot at Marina Bay; to throw up (slang).
“Drink until merlion, so jialat.”
milo dinosaur
Iced Milo with a heap of Milo powder piled on top.
“One Milo dinosaur, extra powder.”
N
nah
Here, take it: said while handing something over.
“Nah, your change.”
nasi
Rice (Malay), as in nasi lemak and nasi padang.
“Nasi lemak with fried chicken wing.”
ngiao
Fussy, nitpicking about small things.
“He very ngiao, the cup must face the handle out.”
nua
To laze around, lie about doing nothing.
“Whole Sunday just nua on the sofa.”
nyonya
Peranakan woman; Peranakan food and style.
“Nyonya kueh from Katong.”
Also: nonya
O
obiang
Tacky, outdated, garishly dressed.
“That shirt very obiang, change lah.”
on
Agreed, it’s happening; game.
“Supper at Old Airport Road after this? On!”
one
At the end of a sentence, says that’s how something or someone always is.
“He very particular one, cannot simply buy for him.”
open the light
Switch on the light (and close the light, switch it off).
“So dark, open the light please.”
Also: close the light, on the light, off the light
orbi good
Serves you right.
“Tell you to bring jacket you never, now cold, orbi good.”
Also: orbigood
oredi
Already.
“I reach oredi, where are you?”
Also: orredy
otah
Spicy fish paste grilled in a banana leaf.
“Buy some otah to eat with bread.”
Also: otak-otak
outstation
Away from home on a work trip, overseas or out of town.
“He’s outstation in Jakarta this week.”
ownself
Yourself, by yourself, on your own.
“Ownself check ownself, no one else to blame.”
P
padan muka
Serves you right.
“Laugh at people fall down, now you fall, padan muka.”
padang
Field (Malay); The Padang is the field by City Hall.
“The National Day Parade back at the Padang.”
paiseh
Embarrassed, shy, sorry to trouble you (Hokkien).
“Paiseh, can you move a bit?”
Also: pai seh
pakcik
Uncle (Malay); an older man.
“The pakcik at the mosque always says hello.”
paktor
Go on a date, be dating (Cantonese).
“Every weekend he busy paktor.”
Also: pak tor
pandai
Clever (Malay).
“Wah, solve so fast, very pandai.”
pandan
Fragrant green leaf used in kueh, cakes and rice.
“Pandan chiffon cake from Bengawan Solo.”
pantang
Taboo, superstitious about something.
“Chinese New Year don’t sweep the floor, pantang.”
pasar
Market (Malay); pasar malam is a night market.
“The pasar malam at the void deck got ramly burger.”
Also: pasar malam
pattern
Fussy tricks and excuses; “so many pattern”.
“Just do the job lah, why so many pattern?”
Also: chut pattern
pek chek
Frustrated, fed up, stressed out.
“The printer jam again, so pek chek.”
peng
Iced (Hokkien), as in kopi peng and teh peng.
“One teh peng, less sweet.”
pengsan
To faint, pass out; to be dead tired.
“After the 2.4 km, I almost pengsan.”
pisang
Banana (Malay); goreng pisang is fried banana fritters.
“Goreng pisang still hot, quick eat.”
ponteng
Play truant, skip school or work (Malay).
“He ponteng school to watch the match.”
popiah
Fresh spring roll filled with turnip, egg and sweet sauce.
“We make popiah at home every Qing Ming.”
power
Impressive, excellent.
“Your solo just now very power!”
prata
Roti prata: crispy, flaky flatbread with curry.
“Two kosong, one egg prata.”
Also: roti prata
pulut
Glutinous rice (Malay).
“Pulut hitam for dessert.”
R
rabak
Gone wild, out of hand, a mess.
“The party became very rabak after midnight.”
Raya
Hari Raya, the Malay festival after Ramadan.
“Raya open house at my colleague’s place.”
Also: Hari Raya
relac
Relax, chill (“relac one corner”).
“Relac lah, still got time.”
Also: relak, relac one corner
rendang
Dry, spicy beef curry slow-cooked in coconut milk.
“Beef rendang with ketupat.”
revert
Office English for reply, get back to someone.
“I’ll check with my boss and revert by Friday.”
rojak
Fruit and vegetable salad in prawn paste; any mixed-up mishmash.
“His speech rojak, English, Malay and Hokkien all mixed.”
rosak
Broken, spoilt, not working (Malay).
“Lift rosak again, must climb stairs.”
roti
Bread (Malay), as in roti prata and roti john.
“Roti john for supper.”
S
sabo
Sabotage, get someone into trouble on purpose.
“You tell teacher? You sabo me ah?”
sakar
To suck up to, flatter (someone in charge).
“Always sakar the boss, sure get promoted.”
salah
Wrong, mistaken (Malay).
“Salah already, the meeting is tomorrow, not today.”
sama
Same (Malay); “sama sama” means you’re welcome.
“Your bag and my bag sama.”
Also: sama sama
sambal
Chilli paste, often with belacan.
“More sambal for my stingray, please.”
sampan
Small flat-bottomed wooden boat.
“Old photos of the river full of sampan.”
samseng
Gangster, thug, someone acting tough.
“Don’t act samseng, nobody scared of you.”
Samsui
Samsui women: Chinese migrant construction workers in red headscarves.
“The Samsui women built much of old Singapore.”
sarong
Wrap-around cloth skirt worn in Southeast Asia.
“My grandpa wears a sarong at home.”
satay
Grilled meat skewers with peanut sauce.
“Ten chicken satay and ten mutton.”
Also: sate
sayang
Love, darling; also “what a pity” (Malay).
“Throw away so much food, sayang.”
sayur
Vegetables (Malay), as in sayur lodeh.
“Lontong with sayur lodeh, my favourite.”
sedap
Delicious (Malay).
“Your mum’s curry very sedap.”
selamat
Safe; part of greetings like Selamat Hari Raya (Malay).
“Selamat Hari Raya to all our Muslim friends!”
senang
Easy; comfortable.
“This exam senang only, no need to worry.”
send
To take someone somewhere, give them a lift, or see them off.
“Don’t worry, I send you home after dinner.”
shiok
Great, satisfying, delicious.
“Cold beer after the run, shiok!”
Also: syok
sia
Adds wonder or emphasis: wow, really. Said about good and bad things alike.
“This chicken rice damn nice sia.”
Also: siah
siam
Dodge, avoid, get out of the way.
“See the teacher coming, quickly siam.”
sianz
Bored, fed up, weary.
“Monday again, sianz.”
Also: sian
siao
Crazy (Hokkien).
“Siao ah, walk all the way to Jurong?”
Also: siao liao
sifu
Master, expert, teacher (Cantonese).
“Ask him, he’s the Excel sifu.”
sikit
A little (Malay).
“Sikit only, don’t give me so much rice.”
Also: sikit sikit
simi
What (Hokkien); “simi sai” means whatever stuff.
“Simi? Say again?”
Also: simi sai
Singlish
Singapore’s own English: English mixed with Hokkien, Malay, Cantonese, Tamil and more, with its own particles and grammar.
“Speak Singlish with friends, standard English at work.”
sinseh
Traditional Chinese physician.
“Go see the sinseh for your back pain.”
siong
Tough, strenuous, hard going.
“Route march 24 km, very siong.”
smoke
To bluff or waffle, pretending to know.
“Never study? Smoke your way through the presentation lor.”
solid
Excellent, impressive.
“Your presentation just now, solid!”
sombong
Arrogant, snobbish (Malay).
“After she got promoted, so sombong.”
song
Feeling great, satisfied, pleased.
“Long hot shower after the run, so song.”
songkok
Brimless velvet cap worn by Malay men.
“Dad wears his songkok for Friday prayers.”
soto
Spicy, fragrant chicken soup.
“Soto ayam when you’re sick.”
sotong
Squid (Malay); a blur person.
“Blur like sotong.”
spoil market
To do so much more than others that everyone else looks bad.
“You finish the report one week early, spoil market lah.”
stay
To live (somewhere).
“I stay in Tampines, near the MRT.”
steady
Well done, cool, reliable; “steady pom pi pi”.
“You bought the tickets already? Steady!”
Also: steady pom pi pi, steady lah
steamboat
Hot pot: a pot of soup at the table to cook meat, seafood and vegetables in.
“Reunion dinner, we always have steamboat.”
suaku
Country bumpkin, unsophisticated (Hokkien).
“First time take plane? So suaku.”
suay
Unlucky (Hokkien).
“So suay, two red lights and miss the bus.”
suka suka
As you please, on a whim.
“You cannot suka suka change the plan.”
susah
Difficult, troublesome (Malay).
“Very susah to get a taxi when it rains.”
swee
Perfect, nice, just right (Hokkien).
“The new haircut swee.”
Also: sui
T
tackle
To try to win someone over romantically.
“He trying to tackle the girl from accounts.”
tahan
Endure, tolerate (Malay); “tahan” means can take it.
“So noisy, I cannot tahan already.”
Also: cannot tahan
taitai
A well-off married woman of leisure.
“High tea every afternoon, really live like a taitai.”
Also: tai tai
tapau
Take away food (Cantonese).
“Can you tapau one chicken rice for me?”
Also: dabao, da bao, ta pau
taugeh
Bean sprouts.
“Ipoh-style chicken with taugeh.”
Also: tauge
teh
Tea, the kopitiam way, with condensed milk unless you say otherwise.
“Uncle, one teh siew dai.”
teh tarik
Milky tea “pulled” between two mugs from a height until it froths.
“Teh tarik and prata for supper.”
tekan
To push hard, punish, bully (Malay); army slang.
“Sergeant tekan us until midnight.”
tempeh
Fermented soybean cake, from Indonesia.
“Sambal goreng tempeh from the nasi padang stall.”
terror
Awesome, very skilled; also fierce.
“Your drawing terror sia!”
thosai
Thin, crispy fermented rice-and-lentil crepe, eaten with chutney.
“One masala thosai, please.”
Also: dosai, dosa
tiffin
A stacked metal food carrier; a packed lunch in one.
“Grandma sends food over in a tiffin.”
tikam
A lucky dip; to pick at random (Malay for “stab”).
“Don’t know which answer, just tikam.”
Also: tikam tikam
tio
Right, correct; also to get hit by something (good or bad).
“Tio liao! You guessed it.”
Also: tio liao
tolong
Please help; also a groan of “give me a break”.
“Tolong ah, I asked you three times already.”
tompang
Hitch a ride, or ask someone to add your order to theirs (Malay).
“Can I tompang your car to the MRT?”
Also: tumpang
Toto
Singapore Pools’ lottery.
“Hongbao draw this year, everybody buy Toto.”
towkay
Boss, business owner.
“The towkay of this shop very friendly.”
Also: tauke
trishaw
Three-wheeled bicycle taxi.
“Tourists take trishaw rides around Chinatown.”
U
ulu
Remote, out of the way, hard to get to (from hulu, upriver).
“The hotel very ulu, need two buses from the MRT.”
uncle
Any man older than you, said with respect, whether related or not.
“Uncle, one plate char kway teow.”
unglam
Not glamorous; uncool, embarrassing.
“Sleep with mouth open on the MRT, very unglam.”
V
vadai
Savoury fried lentil fritter.
“Buy some vadai for tea break.”
Vesak
Vesak Day, celebrating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death.
“Vesak Day got the candlelight procession.”
Also: Vesak Day
void deck
The open ground floor of an HDB block, used for weddings, wakes, games and chit-chat.
“Meet you at the void deck of Block 123.”
W
wah
Wow: for surprise, admiration or shock.
“Wah, your new flat so big!”
wah piang
Good grief! Disbelief or exasperation, a lot like walao.
“Wah piang, the train stopped again.”
Also: wah piang eh
walao
Oh my goodness! Disbelief or exasperation.
“Walao, the queue so long!”
Also: wah lau, walao eh, wa lao
wanton
Dumpling in wonton mee, as Singapore spells it.
“One wanton mee, dry, with chilli.”
Also: wonton
wayang
Chinese street opera; putting on a show, pretending.
“He not really sick, just wayang.”
what
At the end of a sentence, pushes back: but I did, but it is.
“I did tell you what, you forgot only.”
where got
No way, that’s not true: a denial.
“Where got I said that? You anyhow say.”