Kiasu
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈkjɑːsuː/ · Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Kiasu is an adjective meaning (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) Afraid to lose out, particularly because one is overly competitive.
Meaning
(Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) Afraid to lose out, particularly because one is overly competitive.
More Meanings
- (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) A kiasu person.
Example Sentences
No wonder the parents acted that way, she said. They were just being kia-su (afraid to lose out).
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.
No lubang, so teruk. Kiasu cannot lose, / Kiasi cannot die; machiam machiam words / We also try. Proper English? So lecheh, / So correct, so actsy for what? […]
Word Forms
- kiasus
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include atas, ngeow, kaypoh, kepo, suaku, koyak.
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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.