Kiasi
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˌkjɑːˈsiː/ · Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Kiasi is an adjective meaning (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) A kiasi person.
Meaning
(Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) A kiasi person.
More Meanings
- (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) Unwilling to take a risk for fear that something bad or unfavorable will happen; cowardly, overly cautious and risk-averse.
Example Sentences
Why are you so kiasi? You won't die from getting a small cut on the finger.
If everyone dares to bungee jump, why can't you do the same? Are you kiasi or what?
The kia-si/kia-su ("afraid to die/afraid to lose") attitude of the Totalisator Boards in Malaysia and Singapore is deplorable.
Apart from the kiasis and kiasus, there are also Singaporeans at the other end of the scale – the healthcare workers who put their lives at risk.
Word Forms
- kiasis
Synonyms for kiasi
Depending on context, synonyms include cowardly.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include cowardly, yellow, uncourageous, coward, faint-hearted, invalorous.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.