What does “kiasu” mean?

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

kiasu

Afraid of losing out, so always grabbing first and queueing early.

“So kiasu, queue at 6 am for free bubble tea.”

kaypoh Busybody, nosy (Hokkien).
keng Pretend to be sick or busy to skive.
kiam siap Stingy, tight with money.
kiasi Afraid of dying; overly cautious.
kpkb To complain loudly and on and on; whining.
kueh Bite-sized cakes, often colourful and made with rice flour, coconut or pandan.
kum siah Thank you.
lansi Arrogant, cocky (Hokkien).

What does “kiasu” mean in Singlish?

Afraid of losing out, so always grabbing first and queueing early. It’s an adjective.

Where does “kiasu” come from?

From Hokkien. Other Singlish words from Hokkien include kaypoh, keng, kiam siap and kiasi.

How do you use “kiasu” in a sentence?

“So kiasu, queue at 6 am for free bubble tea.”

Is “kiasu” in the Singlish Wordle?

Yes: it’s one of the answers in the Singlish Wordle, one word a day, the same for everyone.

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