What does “liao” mean?

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

liao

Already, as in finished or done for (Hokkien).

“Die liao, I forgot my homework.”

kueh Bite-sized cakes, often colourful and made with rice flour, coconut or pandan.
kum siah Thank you.
lansi Arrogant, cocky (Hokkien).
leh Makes a request gentler or a complaint sound a bit hurt; also “what about…?”.
lim kopi To have coffee, and usually a chat with it.
limpeh Your father: a cocky way to say “me”.
ngiao Fussy, nitpicking about small things.
nua To laze around, lie about doing nothing.

What does “liao” mean in Singlish?

Already, as in finished or done for (Hokkien). It’s a particle, said at the end of a sentence for its tone more than its meaning.

Where does “liao” come from?

From Hokkien. Other Singlish words from Hokkien include kueh, kum siah, lansi and leh.

How do you use “liao” in a sentence?

“Die liao, I forgot my homework.” It turns up in other words’ examples too: see already, cham and die liao.

Is “liao” 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.