What does “ngiao” mean?

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

ngiao

adjectiveHokkien

Fussy, nitpicking about small things.

“He very ngiao, the cup must face the handle out.”

leh Makes a request gentler or a complaint sound a bit hurt; also “what about…?”.
liao Already, as in finished or done for (Hokkien).
lim kopi To have coffee, and usually a chat with it.
limpeh Your father: a cocky way to say “me”.
nua To laze around, lie about doing nothing.
orbi good Serves you right.
paiseh Embarrassed, shy, sorry to trouble you (Hokkien).
pek chek Frustrated, fed up, stressed out.

What does “ngiao” mean in Singlish?

Fussy, nitpicking about small things. It’s an adjective.

Where does “ngiao” come from?

From Hokkien. Other Singlish words from Hokkien include leh, liao, lim kopi and limpeh.

How do you use “ngiao” in a sentence?

“He very ngiao, the cup must face the handle out.”

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