What does “lor” mean?

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

lor

particleCantonese and Hokkien

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

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More Singlish from Cantonese

kailan Chinese kale, stir-fried with garlic or oyster sauce.
kancheong Anxious, flustered, in a nervous hurry.
kowtim Settled, done, sorted (Cantonese).
lohei Tossing the yusheng salad high for luck at Chinese New Year.
mah It should be obvious: adds “of course, that’s why”.
meh Turns a sentence into a doubtful question: really? are you sure?
paktor Go on a date, be dating (Cantonese).
sampan Small flat-bottomed wooden boat.

Words that use “lor”

abuden “You studied the whole night, then you pass lor? Abuden.”
gahmen “Gahmen say must wear mask, so wear lor.”
smoke “Never study? Smoke your way through the presentation lor.”

Questions

What does “lor” mean in Singlish?

That’s how it is, nothing to be done: a shrug at the end of a sentence. It’s a particle, said at the end of a sentence for its tone more than its meaning.

Where does “lor” come from?

From Cantonese and Hokkien. Other Singlish words from Cantonese include kailan, kancheong, kowtim and lohei.

How do you use “lor” in a sentence?

“No more seats, so we stand lor.” It turns up in other words’ examples too: see abuden, gahmen and smoke.

How else is “lor” spelt?

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

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

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