Singlish Dictionary |
Meaning | In other words, "isn't it obvious?"
A rhetorical question used to express disgust at the listener's stupidity in grasping the obvious. |
Example | Ah Mao: Go World Trade Centre can take 61 meh?
Ah Kow: Ah then? Of cos lah! |
Meaning | To be given a task by your superior
that you don't want to do.
Can also mean that you have been allocated a task in your absence |
Example | 1) Wah lau! My boss "arrow" me to do this job. I very pek
chek!
2) "You sabo king! Just because I never come for meeting you arrow me to do this report!" |
Meaning | Which literally means "eye stuck with
a stamp/smeared with shit"
Connotative meaning is "very blind." |
Example | 1) Wah liao ayy! His girlfriend so argly(ugly), bakchew
tah stamp!
2) She so happening! He like tek ko she really bakchew tah sai! |
Meaning | Not free or can't be bothered |
Example | Aiyoh! So many things to do. Go bowling? Boh eng lah! |
Meaning | Commonly used by Singaporeans of the
Ah-beng and Ah-lian species.
It means "lend" and is usually used in the context of a request. |
Example | Ah-Beng: Eh, my Brylcream don't know go where. Can you borrow me your hairgel? |
Meaning | Translation:(hokkien) Cannot take the pressure or cannot solve problem. |
Example | Student 1: Wahlao,this exam I really buey tah han it ah.So
many questions I don't know.
Student 2: Yah lor... I also want to bengsan already. |
Meaning | Often used to praise someone for something
specific.
Origin: Mandarin. (eg. "Ni3 zhen1 xing2!") |
Example | Ah-Kow: you so fast finish your homework already har.You
very the can, man!
N.B. Can also be used without "the." Eg. "Wah, you very can!" |
Meaning | Don't understand |
Example | Can you repeat that again? I catch no ball leh! |
Meaning | To compromise (usually to get out of trouble) |
Example | Ah Lian to an ow ka (traffic police) who is giving her a
ticket,
"Why like that, can cham siong or not?" |
Meaning | A quick way of calling "teacher".Most prominently heard from sec school students. |
Example | Student A: Cher cher! Can I go to the loo?
Teacher: Go lah go lah! |
Meaning | To describe difficult words such that one cannot understand |
Example | Ah Beng: Ooi! What you say I don't understand lah, stop
using those chiminology can
or not! Ah Sheng: When writing must use some chiminology, then teacher will think that I am very educated mah. |
Meaning | An english equivalant would be 'be quiet!' |
Example | Diam Diam! You had better be good or mummy will butcher
you
[Diam Diam is the same as Diam, except it is more serious.] |
Meaning | Usually used as an expression to request a favour from someone who might be going your way |
Example | My bicycle broke down today,can dom pang your car to work
today or not..
OR Since you are going out for lunch, can I dom pang you to buy me some cheeken lice (rice)? |
Meaning | The Singaporean equivalent of buddy or mate, or it can be used by kids to mean 'befriend'. |
Example | Fli-end, you better not come round here anymore or else
I wah-lap you
OR If you fliend Ah kaw then I don't fliend you. |
Meaning | Vain beyond belief |
Example | Mai hao lian lah! who's going to look at you? |
Meaning | Very serious; prefixed with see-peh; to make it even more serious. |
Example | Jia-lat man! Exam this time sure fail one. |
Meaning | Zero |
Example | Parent yelling at his son "how come you get jheelo for this test!" |
Meaning | It's a word commonly use by buayas
(color wolf).
Its actual meaning is pretty or rather sweet in description of a girl. |
Example | "ooi Ah Leng!!! Look there!!!!!! you see that girl walking
across the Atrium, wah-lau damn jude man !!!! " |
Meaning | To be hurried, flustered, uptight |
Example | 1)The MRT door heaven open yet, you so kan-cheong for whaaaat!
2)Now only April, November then exam, why so kan-cheong? |
Meaning | Up the lorry (literal)
Other meaning: Die!!! |
Example | Wah-piang eh!Tomorrow got test leh,haven't prepare yet, so ke chia!!! |
Meaning | "To be stained by shit" (literal)
Is used to comment that a person has done something to thoroughly embarass or disgrace himself |
Example | Wah liaow! His singing so terok but still action on stage,really kena sai,man! |
Meaning | To be laggi weak physically..
(Warning: Could be sexually offensive so pls be lem bek just this once - use with care!) Origin:(probably) Malay |
Example | Aiyoh ! Why he everything cannot do one..so lembek! |
Meaning | Love |
Example | Darling ah.....I lerf you for-efer you know? Donch leaf me hor? |
Meaning | To decribe a person for exceptionally hardworking. |
Example | Why you so on the ball,spoil the market...... |
Meaning | Adjective: meaning ugly, especially for ah-lian/ah-beng category of people |
Example | Wah lau, your sister really look or biang, man. |
Meaning | Adjective: Out of fashion |
Example | Wah your clothes velly orbit sia! |
Meaning | Apologetic with embarassment and some
shyness!
Origin: Hokkien |
Example | 1)Today you pay for dinner again huh,so pai seh! "Eh,
2)Ah Seng fart in the lift one -- not scared of pai seh!" |
Meaning | Literal translation : Beat Bird
Can be dirty at time, so be careful of its usage English equivalent : Blind |
Example | Ah B : Look at the plane in the sky!
Ah Siao : Where? Ah B : You pa-jiao one is it! There!!!! Ah Siao : Oh, There... |
Meaning | So shiok you feel almost invincible |
Example | Wah! You very sart, ah! Win lottery now can spend!
Can lend me money or not? |
Meaning | English Trans. : VERY!!!!!
Usually used by trueblue singaporeans to replace the "colonial scums" word, VERY. This highly versatile replacement can be used in almost any sentence which requires the word, very. Best used with other singlish words, like siong, sian, jar lat, etc... |
Example | 1)Wah lau!! That 5bx see-buay siong ah!!! Can die!!!
2)Miss Chin's philo lecture see-buay sian! Almost hung myself!!! 3)Kar-n*-**!! CAUTION!! : Even though this wonderful word is fairly versatile, new users should be warned that there are some instances where a replacement may be inappropiate. 4)see-buay euphonious just doesn't kick! Or like Ah Gao would say.see-buay buay kam!! |
Meaning | "See" meaning die in hokkien "gin
nah" meaning children or kids in hokkien.
Used to scold someone who got you in trouble, sabo you,did you injustice or just simply irritates you! |
Example | "see gin nah, you. Try to be funny right?Wait till I get my hands on you." |
Meaning | English equivalent : mission failed
Usage : Usually use to describe a failure or loser. |
Example | Sooo simple job also cannot do you relly seik bai no. |
Meaning | 1st meaning : crazy, out of his mind
2nd meaning : expression used before or after `disaster'.A.k.a. die lah! |
Example | 1)I think he siao liao, so on for what? Never ask you to
do you still go and do!!
2)This time siao liao! Got assignment to hand in tomorrow still haven't do! |
Meaning | Simply great, superb! |
Example | Ah Mao: Did you watch the football match last night?
Ah Kow: Got lar! That Abbas Saad dem_solid siah! That beautiful goal he kicked in saved the Lions man! |
Meaning | Raise the standard (of something) to an unacceptably high level. |
Example | His project do until so solid ... spoil the market only! |
Meaning | Origin : Hokkien word
Translation : mountain tortise (literally) To tell someone that he/she is not well inform or not knowledgeable. |
Example | What! Aiyah, sooo simple you also don't know.So very swah-ku one! |
Meaning | Very Good or Very Solid. |
Example | Ah Beng1 " you see her legs..Tok Gong man !"
Ah Beng2 " No..her body more Tok Gong !" Ah Beng3 " No Lah...what u talking, that one is my Mother La.!" |
Meaning | Greedy. |
Example | You know that you're tum-sim when :
1.You buy $1.50 rojak and ask for all tow-pok and yew char kuay. 2.You pay 60 cents for a bus trip from Mandai to Pasir Ris. 3.You bought a $4.50 T-shirt from Chinatown and ask for a written warranty. |
Meaning | What the heck. (similiar 2 wah lau) Said when the person is frustrated. |
Example | Wah piang eh! So s-way ah. Why I always kanna tekan? |
Meaning | "Won't lah!" mispronounced.
Expression which implies that something will not happen, |
Example | A: Hey, do you think it will rain?
B: Aiyah, WENLAH! |
Meaning | To mean get out of the way or having avoided something unpleasant |
Example | Xiam! Xiam! Shio ah! (use by the hawker) |
Meaning | An army term used with relation to
being sleepy.
(Notice how the ZZZZzzzz comes from pple who sleep...) |
Example | SGT: Recruit, cannot fight the Z-monster, right?
Recruit: No!!SGT!!!!!!! SGT: Ne'ber mind, go and support the wall. |
Meaning | Laugh until ya legs become weak. |
Example | Wah lau! did u hear de joke he told us? i LUPS man! |
Meaning | Damn bloody awful |
Example | How it the world can u show that photo (or anything worse) to the world? it's so CBPK u know?!!!!???!! |
Meaning | Got style. |
Example | ooi!! check out dat guy! he damn uh-say man! his uniform all tucked out one!! |