Let’s not kid ourselves – apart from the initial whiplash Singaporeans experience upon hearing the distinct twang of Singlish on our travels, there’s a warm tinge of solidarity deep down that we can’t quite shake. After all, punctuating our conversations with an occasional lah makes them that more cordial, and for some reason, the hodgepodge of different languages in a single sentence just makes sense on the Little Red Dot.
As such, we’re celebrating our ever-efficient vernacular by shining the spotlight on iconic Singaporean slang and phrases. This list of Singlish staples also sports an entry for each letter of the alphabet, so there’s bound to be one that even your most jiak kantang friends can sneak into their daily exchanges.
Table of Contents
What it means: Originally a Malay term that means “above”, atas is more commonly used as an adjective instead when it comes to Singlish, to describe someone or something that’s boujee. Argue as you might, some things that are undeniably atas include the following: a stay in MBS, being seated in first-class on a Singapore Airlines flight, and paying through the nose for your morning brew at Starbucks.
On that note, people who splurge on lavish cai fan orders – now, those are folks living the high life. Taking the “economic” out of “economic rice”, adding fish to your humble cai fan is probably the biggest everyday flex that no luxury watch or car can hold a candle to.
How it’s used:
A: Later lunch eat what ah? Wanna go to that new cafe that just opened?
B: Nah don’t need so atas lah, go kopitiam eat can already.
What it means: Literally meaning “no change” when translated from Hokkien, bo bian is one phrase that we love to bust out whenever we find ourselves stuck in a rut. It’s a substitute for “can’t be helped” that rolls off the tongue so well, and don’t get me started on its cutesy counterpart “bopez”.
It carries an air of nonchalance that, when paired with a casual shrug of the shoulders, pretty much deflects any shred of responsibility away from you, because “really no choice already”.
How it’s used:
A: Eh why you tonight cannot follow us go club, not steady sia.
B: Bopez ah, girlfriend not happy so need to stay at home.
Chope-ing tables with tissue packets is one thing, but this on the other hand…
Image credit: Reddit
What it means: Chope is essentially the Singaporean equivalent of calling dibs. Funny thing is, the act of chope-ing sometimes requires more than verbally proclaiming you’ve got your eyes on something. Just look at the food courts around the island, where you’ll spot diners staking claims on vacant tables with a measly packet of tissues, or worse, their very worldly possessions like wallets and laptops.
Good thing Singapore’s pretty safe and most Singaporeans are gracious enough to abide by this unspoken rule, but still, we’re not liable for lost valuables at your neighbourhood’s coffee shop.
How it’s used:
A: Wah today food court damn crowded sia, how ah?
B: Nevermind you go buy food first, I go chope seats.
What it means: As if a single confirmation isn’t enough, we’ve coined the phrase double confirm. It’s as straightforward as it gets – to double confirm something is to do a second round of thorough checks before wrapping up whatever it is you’re tasked with.
Don’t get it wrong, while some of us are meticulous by nature, others are just deathly afraid of the repercussions of messing up, thanks to bosses who breathe down our necks. Now, those unlucky folks are the ones who might even have to resort to the fabled triple confirm.
How it’s used:
A: You sure later the client meeting is at 3pm?
B: Ok later I go check my email to double confirm.
Image credit: Oko Laa via Shutterstock
What it means: Translated directly from the Mandarin characters 吃草 (chī cǎo), eat grass is probably one of the funniest phrases to use to convey the fact that you’re broke, plain and simple. That’s because feeding on grass is practically a free substitute for actual meals, but don’t quote us on that; check in with NParks before grazing on your greens.
How it’s used:
A: Your this month pay come already?
B: Haven’t yet leh, I think next week need to eat grass.
What it means: Fast game is a phrase that’s undoubtedly a byproduct of our obsession with hurtling through every aspect of our lives. There’s a reason why we’re known to be the nation with the fastest walkers on average, and just look at the throngs of people rushing to form snaking queues the moment a new Labubu series drops.
Back to fast game though, we use it to express our desire to get something over and done quickly. More often than not, the fastest of games are a result of having to complete a task before knocking off for the day, because nothing proves to be a bigger motivator than the office clock’s hands striking 6.
How it’s used:
A: Still got what need to do for today ah?
B: Left only the weekly report, we fast game do, then can pang gang already.
What it means: Just try uttering the words gai gai under your breath, and you’ll immediately notice the ears of your furkids and little ones alike perk up in anticipation. The phrase means “to go for a walk”, so you can see why it brings so much excitement for them. Other than describing a leisurely saunter at the park, gai gai can also mean to go shopping, which is just music to the ears of those who love to indulge in retail therapy.
How it’s used:
A: What did you do over the weekend?
B: Nothing much, just brought the kids out to Tampines Mall to gai gai.
What it means: Getting hit with a despondent hais is truly a humbling experience. It’s an onomatopoeia meant to represent a sigh, not of relief, but of defeat. If you’re on the receiving end of one, our condolences; the only thing that matches the pang of guilt that washes over you after getting hais-ed is that dreaded feeling of letting your parents down.
But should you be dishing out the bombs of disappointment instead, you’d thank the heavens for this simple 4-letter word. We don’t think you can find a more apt substitute, unless you’re ready to whip out an expletive to express your immeasurable dissatisfaction.
How it’s used:
A: Eh bro later dinner I suddenly can’t make it, something urgent popped up again, sorry ah.
B: Hais.
What it means: Isit is one curious term indeed, as its meaning changes based on where it’s used within a sentence. Stick it at the start of one, and it’s basically our version of “is that so?”. Put it at the end of the sentence, and you’ll turn it into a question. Complicated, I know – and they still say Singlish is for the uncouth.
How it’s used:
A: You got hear Jun Jie break up with his girlfriend yesterday?
B: Isit? Where you hear from one sia?
Or:
A: Eh Jun Jie break up with his girlfriend isit?
B: Ya sia, he yesterday tell me one.
What it means: Often strung together with another Hokkien word, jio is another Singlish phrase you’ll hear being thrown around a lot. On its own, jio is the act of inviting someone to hang out, but when paired with bo to form bo jio, it becomes an expression of injustice at being left out of a get-together.
How it’s used:
A: Later after work want to go for drinks? Heard the nearby bar got 1-for-1 pints, don’t say I bo jio.
B: Ok sure, can I also jio the rest of the team?
What it means: Kiap is another multi-purpose word that further pushes the efficacy of Singlish. Originating from Hokkien, to kiap something is to keep it held in place with a clip or clamp. When used as a noun, it refers to any tool with jaws that you use to, well, kiap objects with.
Some of the most common kiap-pers you’d find lying around your household include kitchen tongs, clothes pegs, and perhaps the most useful of the bunch, food sealing clips that always manage to go missing whenever you can’t finish your party-sized bag of Lay’s.
How it’s used:
A: Is there anything else we need to pack for the chalet BBQ later?
B: Eh remember to bring the kiap leh, if not later how cook the food?
What it means: With blind boxes being all the rage these days, you probably know at least 1 ling ling long long hoarder in your life. Relax, it’s not a slur, although it is of Chinese origin. It refers to a collection of small trinkets often hung on bags, which, when moved around, produce discordant rattling noises.
We’re all for flaunting your personality through adorable bag charms and eccentric key chains, but when we can hear the cacophony of jangles and chimes before you even come into view, then we’ve got a problem.
How it’s used:
A: Wah the new Labubu like cute leh, can help me buy?
B: Eh please, your bag already got enough ling ling long long, don’t need any more.
What it means: Essentially the Singlish equivalent of “like” or “same as”, macam – or as some might spell, maciam, – is our go-to expression for the comparison of 2 things we deem similar or alike. It’s derived from the Malay word of the same meaning, but what makes this phrase extra funny is the way we go about using it.
How it’s used:
A: Eh got see my new hair anot? I just dyed it red leh what do you think?
B: Girl, your hair macam Ronald McDonald sia.
What it means: You know the tea’s about to be piping hot when someone whips out the phrase, “not i say one ah”. Yep – it’s oftentimes the precursor to what usually ends up being a big bomb drop, particularly when the bearer of said tea wants to wash their hands off it.
Alternatively, it’s the same thing you’ll hear when someone really, really needs to clarify that they didn’t say something offensive. For example: “Did you just call her ugly?!”; “Not I say one!”.
How it’s used:
A: Eh, don’t you think Jia Yi’s been acting a bit off today?
B: Apparently her boyfriend cheated on her with a siam bu last night…but not I say one ah.
What it means: The Gen Z substitute for steady, onz is the standard reply you’ll get when you ask your YP friends if they “want go drink” tonight. TLDR; it’s the Singlish equivalent of saying you’re down for something, particularly when making plans in the GC.
How it’s used:
A: Tonight go Zouk?
B: Onz bro.
What it means: If you don’t know what it means to pon class, you were probably a real guai kia growing up. Directly derived from the Malay word ponteng, pon basically translates to “playing truant” in English.
It’s definitely one of the most rebellious things many of us did growing up, and we’re by no means encouraging it. But, say real, some of our greatest core memories were created when we ponned class with our friends, amiright?
How it’s used:
A: Eh BTS arriving in Singapore tomorrow morning leh.
B: OMG, should we pon class to see them?
What it means: Instead of saying “springy” or “bouncy”, us Singaporeans use a much cuter term: QQ. Typically used to describe food – and noodles, in particular – you’ve for sure earned a Singaporean’s stamp of approval if they deem your bowl of noods QQ.
How it’s used:
A: This is hands down my favourite kolo mee stall in SG sia.
B: I know right, the noodles damn QQ one!
What it means: You failed your exam? Rabak. That subpar meal you attempted to cook last night? Rabak. Your friend gets blackout drunk every weekend? Rabz kebabs.
Once again, this slang comes from the Malay word rabak, with the original word translating more closely to “ragged” or “torn” in English. In Singlish, however, it’s used to describe anything that’s hopeless, out of control, or plain bad.
How it’s used:
A: Got hear? Jason kena expelled for ponning school too much.
B: What?! Rabak sial.
What it means: NGL, we’re guilty of using this word at least 10 times a day. Be it over text, on the phone, or IRL, throwing out the word sian is a high-key cathartic way to sum up our feelings about any minor inconvenience that crops up in our day-to-day lives.
It kinda falls under the same family as ‘hais’, though sian is typically used to express tiredness instead of disappointment.
How it’s used:
A: Finished your report yet anot? Due tomorrow leh, don’t forget.
B: Aiya sian AF sia, I haven’t even started bro.
Image credit: @shibuyameltdown via Instagram
What it means: Nope, we’re not referring to the common Chinese surname, but instead one of the most versatile phrases in our Singlish vocab. Simply put, “toh” means to physically collapse in Hokkien, but it can be used in a range of both literal and figurative contexts to describe an unfavourable situation.
Your buddy had one too many shots and is dead drunk, limbs all splayed out on the streets of Clarke Quay? He toh liao. Your boss is calling you into their office to discuss downsizing your already understaffed department? Definitely grounds to let out a crestfallen toh. Still don’t get the gist? Toh la.
How it’s used:
A: You got see the email anot, client say we gotta make the changes ASAP sia.
B: Toh la, now what time already, confirm need to OT.
What it means: If the MRT station closest to your home garners confused reactions every time you say its name, we’re sorry, but you confirm plus chop live in an ulu part of SG. Adapted from the same Malay word that means “remote”, ulu is our go-to descriptor for any lesser-known part of Singapore.
And no, we don’t mean “lesser-known” in the “underrated” or “hidden gem” typa way – ulu, unfortunately, has a rather negative connotation to it. But you know what? We reckon everyone else is just jealous that you don’t have to fight with morning commute crowds where you live.
How it’s used:
A: Eh congrats on your BTO bro! Where ah?
B: Thanks man, but I kena Tengah sia – some say very ulu.
What it means: Full disclosure – by the time we got to writing the 23rd point of this article, we lowkey felt like vomiting blood. JK. But you get the point. In true Singaporean fashion, vomit blood is our overly dramatic way of describing extreme fatigue, frustration, or anger.
We’re not entirely sure why we picked vomiting blood as our illness of choice to express inconsolable exasperation, but hey, it definitely gets the point across, right?
How it’s used:
A: Eh, who pitched writing this long ahh article ah?
B: IDK, but I gonna vomit blood liao.
What it means: A childish phrase we probably should’ve left behind in primary school, win liao lor is the final, albeit reluctant, admission of defeat from the losing party in a petty argument. Basically, if you tell someone that they “win liao lor”, we know you’re secretly fuming, but have just decided it’s best to suck thumb and cut your losses.
How it’s used:
A: Eh next week I on leave so you help me settle everything with clients ah?
B: Win liao lor.
What it means: While 小弟弟 (xiǎo dì di) and 小妹妹 (xiǎo mèi mèi) simply mean little brother and little sister in Chinese, their Singlish acronyms – XDD and XMM – are not exactly the youthful compliments you might think they are. In the same way that ah bengs and ah lians refer to a particular subset of Singaporeans, XDDs and XMMs are umbrella terms used to call out a specific group of teens who display less-than-favourable traits.
As a rough guide, XDDs wear hypebeast tees and basketball shorts, while XMMs alternate between oversized tees and tiny crop tops, paired with mini FBT shorts. They both wear oversized slides, and probably have at least 1 ADLV shirt hanging up at home. Bonus points if they blast loud Manyao tunes while riding their e-scooters.
How it’s used:
A: Eh, this shirt nice anot?
B: Is that ADLV? Looks like XMM starter pack leh.
What it means: Another petty comeback to join the ranks of “win liao lor”, you then is the insult we resort to when we quite literally can’t think of a wittier way to retaliate. It’s the hastier, grammatically incorrect way of saying “speak for yourself”, but it often doesn’t pack the punch we think it does.
How it’s used:
A: Stop being so lazy and get your work done lah.
B: You then!
What it means: The Singlish equivalent of “let’s bounce”, to zao means to exit a place or event, usually in a hurry. TLDR: if you’re at a boring party and want to get home ASAP, you’d probably be bugging your friends about what time they plan on zao-ing.
How it’s used:
A: This party like lame only sia, I want to go home already.
B: You say lor, what time you wanna zao?
And there you have it, a whole dictionary’s worth of Singlish, and say real, this probably isn’t even half of all the iconic phrases we use in our day-to-day lives.
Writing this 26-alphabet guide has taught us one thing though – we’ve really gotta stop downplaying the wittiness and creativity of our colloquial lingo. Sure, it might not be “proper English” or grammatically correct, but c’mon now – why would we use 10 words to describe a feeling when we can dumb it down to just 1?
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