from Malay
To relax; to chill out.
Rilek lah, the movie only start at nine.
by Singlish Dictionary · 12 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Malay
To hang out; to laze around doing nothing much.
Saturday night just lepak at the void deck.
by Singlish Dictionary · 12 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Hokkien
To leave quickly; to run off.
Boss coming, zao first.
by Singlish Dictionary · 12 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
Wear your Singlish
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from Hokkien
To rush or charge; to go all out on something; also to party hard.
Exam next week, tonight must chiong.
by Singlish Dictionary · 12 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Hokkien
To leave someone out by not inviting them; also the classic complaint when they find out.
You all went Korean BBQ? Bo jio!
by Singlish Dictionary · 11 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Hokkien
To invite someone along.
Next time makan jio me ah.
by Singlish Dictionary · 11 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Malay
To reserve a seat or spot, famously by leaving a packet of tissue on the table.
Go chope a table first, I queue for the chicken rice.
by Singlish Dictionary · 11 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Cantonese
Broke; no money.
End of the month, pok kai already.
by Singlish Dictionary · 11 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Malay
A thug; a gangster.
Don't drive like samseng, got kids in the car.
by Singlish Dictionary · 11 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)
from Hokkien
A gangster, hooligan or bad kid.
Last time in secondary school he was a pai kia, now he is a lawyer.
by Singlish Dictionary · 11 October 2026 · adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA)