💬 The Real Singlish Dictionary 2025

No blur-blur. Just real Singapore slang — from hawker stalls to office banter. Learn it. Use it. Wah Lau, you sound like a local!

Whether you're here for a long weekend, a work transfer, or just trying to survive your in-laws’ dinner, one thing cuts through the noise: Singlish. It’s not about grammar. It’s about vibe.

This isn’t textbook English. It’s the language of hawker queues, void deck chess battles, and WhatsApp group chats that blow up at 2am. It’s Malay, Hokkien, Tamil, English, and pure Singaporean attitude — all stir-fried with wok hey.

So ditch the dictionary. This is how we really talk. Bookmark it. Share it. And next time someone says “Bo jio me!” — you’ll know exactly what to do.

🔥 Essential Singlish Terms

Alamak

Shock or frustration (e.g., "Alamak! Where my phone?").

Ang Moh

Westerner (e.g., "That ang moh speak good Singlish.")

Aiyoh / Aiyah

Frustration (aiyoh) or pity (aiyah) (e.g., "Aiyoh, so late!"; "Aiyah, poor guy.")

Bo Jio

Didn’t invite — a social crime (e.g., "You bo jio me for makan!")

Bong Kar

Loud, chaotic (e.g., "This party so bong kar.")

Cena

Dinner (from "supper" backwards) (e.g., "Where to cena?")

Chao Keng

Flashy, over-the-top (e.g., "Why so chao keng for $5 meal?")

Cher

Teacher (e.g., "My math cher very strict.")

Cher Cher

Nagging (e.g., "Stop cher cher like my mum.")

Chio Bu

Attractive girl (use carefully!)

Chope

To reserve a seat — usually with tissue paper (sacred ritual)

Chui

To laze around (e.g., "Stop chui, go work!")

Cheat

Surprisingly good (e.g., "This $3 meal so cheat!")

Dabao

Takeaway (e.g., "Dabao this chicken rice.")

Diao Suay

Extremely unlucky (e.g., "Diao suay — rain during BBQ.")

Dun Play Play

Stop messing around — be serious

Dun Anyhow

Don’t be reckless

Blur Like Sotong

Clueless (sotong = squid)

Fully Booked

Sold out, full

Gahmen

Government (often said with side-eye)

Gostan

To reverse (e.g., "Gostan your car!")

Haiyah

Exasperation (e.g., "Haiyah, why like that?")

Hao / Wah Hao

Good / Wow, impressive! (e.g., "This hao!" / "Wah hao!")

Heng

Lucky (opposite: siong)

Jin

Face/dignity (e.g., "He lose jin in front of boss.")

Kaishin

Very angry (e.g., "Boss kaishin when you late.")

Kan Cheong

Anxious (e.g., "Don’t kan cheong, exam will be ok.")

Kiasu

Fear of losing out (e.g., "So kiasu must take all samples!")

Kaypoh

Busybody (e.g., "Stop kaypoh, mind your own!")

Kena

Got (something bad) (e.g., "He kena scold.")

Kulit

Playful teasing (e.g., "We just kulit, don’t take serious.")

Lah / Leh / Lor / Meh

Singlish seasoning: Lah = emphasis (“Don’t worry lah!”) Leh = softens tone (“Wait leh!”) Lor = obvious (“He never come, lor.”) Meh = doubt (“Really meh?”)

Liao

Already (e.g., "Eat liao.")

Makan

To eat — national sport (e.g., "Time to makan!")

Mai Sei

Don’t care (e.g., "Mai sei, you decide.")

Must-buy (e.g., "This durian MB before fly back.")

Mugger

Great deal (e.g., "$2 coffee real mugger!")

Nia

Sarcasm (e.g., "Nia, you say you not hungry?")

On-Die

"I swear" (e.g., "On-die, this best laksa!")

Orh

Mild surprise (e.g., "Orh, so like that.")

Paiseh

Embarrassed (e.g., "Paiseh to ask for discount.")

Pang Sui

Wasteful (e.g., "Buying iPhone every year so pang sui.")

Pao

To run away (e.g., "When teacher come, everyone pao.")

Press

To rush (e.g., "Press one, train coming!")

Proper

Fancy (e.g., "You dress so proper tonight!")

Sabo

To prank (e.g., "He sabo me by telling boss I was late.")

Sia

Disgusted (e.g., "Sia, so many mosquitoes!")

Sibei

Very, extremely (e.g., "Sibei kiasu.")

Suay

Unlucky (e.g., "Suay one, queue so long.")

Tahan

To endure (e.g., "Can you tahan the heat?")

Wah Lau / Wah Piang

Shock ("Wah Lau!") / Strong anger ("Wah Piang!" — use carefully!)

Wah So

Sarcastic "Oh really?" (e.g., "Wah so choy?")

Wei

Hey! (e.g., "Wei, you forget your bag!")

Wok Hey

Smoky flavor — also means energy

Wan Ting

One thing (e.g., "Wan ting, I not agree.")

Yuan Yang

Coffee-tea mix — also means "hang out"

Zai

Skilled (e.g., "He very zai with computers.")

Zorro

To leave without saying goodbye

Can or Not?

"Is it possible?" (e.g., "Can or not, finish by tomorrow?")

Got or Not?

"Do you have it?" (e.g., "Got tissue or not?")

Never Mind

It's okay (e.g., "You late, never mind.")

Not Bad, Hor?

Praise with a question (e.g., "This chicken rice not bad, hor?")

Same Same

Very similar (e.g., "This laksa same same like home.")

🥤 The Ultimate Kopi & Teh Guide

Singapore runs on two things: makan and kopi. But ordering drinks here isn’t just about thirst — it’s a cultural ritual. Get it wrong? The uncle might give you the look. Get it right? You’re one of us.

🔤 The Drink Code

Code	Meaning
Kopi	Coffee (with sugar & evaporated milk)
Teh	Tea
O	Without sugar (but sweet — uses gula melaka!)
C	With condensed milk (rich, creamy)
Kosong	No sugar at all
Peng	Iced
Siew Dai	Less sugar
Gao	Stronger (more tea/coffee)
Wa	"One" — e.g., "Kopi-O wa!"

Pro Tip: Add "wa" to sound fluent. Instead of “One Kopi-C-Peng”, say “Kopi-C-Peng wa!” — instant street cred.

🔥 Popular Combinations

Kopi-O – Black coffee, sweetened with palm sugar
Kopi-C – Coffee with condensed milk (classic sweet-creamy)
Kopi-C-Peng – Iced coffee with condensed milk — the OG
Teh-O-Kosong – Tea, no sugar — for the health-conscious
Teh-C-Siew-Dai-Peng – Iced tea, condensed milk, less sugar — balanced perfection
Kopi-Gao-Kosong – Super strong black coffee, no sugar — coder fuel
Teh-O-Gao-Peng – Strong unsweetened iced tea — uncle’s favourite

🍹 Beyond Kopi: Local Drink Slang

Yuan Yang – Coffee + tea mix. Also means “Let’s hang out” socially.
Soft Drink – Any fizzy drink (Coke, 7-Up). “One soft drink, kosong!” = Coke Zero.
Bandung – Rose syrup + milk. Pink, sweet, nostalgic.
Sugarcane Juice – Freshly pressed. “One sugarcane, peng!”
Ice Lemon Tea – Always Teh-O-Peng + lemon. Never ask without “ice” — it’s assumed.

Final Tip: Speak with feeling, not perfection. End with lah, use sibei for emphasis, and if you forget a word — just point and say “That one, wa!” You’ll be fine.

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