What does “ah beng” mean?

Ah beng in the Singlish dictionary: what it means, where it comes from and how it’s said.

ah beng

nounHokkien

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

What does “ah beng” mean in Singlish?

The stereotype of a loud, flashy young guy, with spiky hair and a souped-up ride. Teasing, not kind. It’s a noun.

Where does “ah beng” come from?

From Hokkien. Other Singlish words from Hokkien include ah gong, ah lian, ah ma and ah pek.

How do you use “ah beng” in a sentence?

“He used to be an ah beng, now a lawyer.” It turns up in other words’ examples too: see ah lian.

How else is “ah beng” spelt?

Singlish has no fixed spelling: people also write “beng”.

Liddat’s own words, from the Singlish dictionary: 312 words and phrases, A to Z.