What it means: Picky, micromanage-y, difficult to work with How it’s used: Wah, he so buay hiao bai, I said I met a handsome guy and he asked if it was him. I resign liao but I dunno what kind of job I want to do. You think they gonna promote you meh? 11. How it’s used: This meeting wayang only lah. What it means: The literal meaning comes from Indonesian puppet theater, but it also means to pretend or to put on an act when nothing is being done. How it’s used: My cat is very manja I come home and already she wants attention. What it means: Used to describe the whiny and needy behavior of women (hello negative gender stereotypes), but nowadays it also refers to people who whine for attention. Don’t anyhowly put the ingredients, hor 9. How it’s used: You read the recipe properly then cook, ok. What it means: To haphazardly do something without proper instructions. What it means: Aloof, slightly arrogant, unfriendly. How it’s used: Wah bang balls, i didn’t know she allergic to seafood! 7. What it means: A particularly vulgar phrase that’s derived from Hokkien’s “lam pah pah lan,” which describes a man’s nether regions, um, clashing together. Wah, you go watch Star Wars without me! Bojio! 6. What it means: “Jio” used to mean “too woo,” and then it evolved into “to invite someone out.” And now we have the blame-filled expression “bo jio” to blame someone who didn’t call you to go have fun. How it’s used: He’s very guai lan, confirm will criticize your work like mad after you hand it in. What it means: Some say it’s a translation from Hokkien to mean “bad egg,” while others think it literally translates to “strange dick.” It refers to someone who is utter exasperating and annoying. How it’s used: Adoi ah! Why you go and drink bleach? 4. What it means: Oh my god! It’s used to express pain, grief, or disappointment at someone’s stupidity. Want to hoot not? / You do that again I hoot you! / You go where hoot this phone? Very nice! 3. How it’s used: He didn’t sent the annual report to boss? Wah, hong kan liao lor. What it means: It literally translates to “screw a dog,” and used to express extreme disappointment, anger, and the fact that everything is going wrong. We all know that Singlish is incredibly nuanced, but who knew that some words had so many meanings? Here’s a look at our favorites.
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