Kiasu (simplified Chinese: 惊输; traditional Chinese: 驚輸; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kiaⁿ-su) is a term derived from the Hokkien “kia” meaning afraid and “su” meaning to lose.[1] It is commonly defined as “the fear of losing,” and is directed at a person who behaves competitively to either attain their goal or to get ahead of others.[1] The term has been part of the Singlish (formally known as Colloquial Singaporean English) lexicon spoken in Singapore since the 1980s.[2]
Since then, Kiasuism has settled into Singapore society and has become part of the cultural norms such as within the local education system or the queuing culture. Nevertheless, Kiasuism still exists in other countries, which have their own variation of the word. Acts of Kiasuism can be either positive or negative depending on the intent of the person committing the act and on the act's end result.[3] Kiasuism has had a notable history since its move away from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) army barracks to the streets of Singapore, from the emergence of Mr. Kiasu to government attempts to curb Kiasuism.
Others have considered Kiasuism as something positive and beneficial. Among others, factors include the mentality to drive many Singaporeans to work harder and strive for success, which helped the country to become one of the most prosperous and competitive countries in the world. This mindset has also fostered a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, encourage people to be prepared for any situation, and promote a culture of safety and risk management. This has led many Singaporeans to be careful and cautious, which has helped to improve overall safety in the country.[4]
^ abYap, Suanne (2013). The story of kiasu: expressions of identity and status via conspicuous consumption : an ethnographic study of Singaporean young women in a newly adopted culture (Masters thesis). Western Sydney University.
^Lim, Lisa (6 October 2016). "Where the word kiasu came from and how it spread". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
Kiasu (simplified Chinese: 惊输; traditional Chinese: 驚輸; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kiaⁿ-su) is a term derived from the Hokkien “kia” meaning afraid and “su” meaning...
Lau (刘夏宗) is a Singaporean artist famous for his iconic comic series Mr Kiasu. Since the 1990s, Lau has been appointed creative director or co-producer...
measures to avoid risk and Kiasu or Kiasu-ism means to take extreme means to achieve success. Kiasi is not as popular as kiasu, but is widely used by Hokkien-speaking...
Singaporeans had already named their own version, "kiasu". Taken from the Chinese dialect Hokkien, kiasu translates to a fear of losing out but also encompasses...
language code "ks") Kernowek Standard, an orthography for Revived Cornish Kiasu, Hokkien (a Chinese spoken variant) word for 'extreme fear of losing' (怕输)...
are from. Furthermore, the word "kiasu" has been used in the Singapore press since 2000 without being italicised; Kiasu means "always wanting the best for...
Retrieved 2022-01-16. "We don't treat audiences like they're stupid: Mr Kiasu 2.0 star Jaspers Lai on the 'dark' humour in this beloved local comedy series"...
including wah, sabo, lepak, shiok and hawker centre. On 11 February 2015, kiasu was chosen as OED's Word of the Day. Singlish vocabulary formally takes...
Chacko was Sabo Singh in Singapore for all three seasons of sitcom Mr Kiasu (2002): nominated for Best Comedy, Asian Television Awards and played the...
Don (2016) Magic Barber (2015) King of Mahjong (2015) Money Game (2015) Kiasu (2014) Eternal Love (2014) Delete My Love (2014) Mr. & Mrs. Gambler (2013)...
Artiste in Malaysia. He made his first crossover to English sitcom in Mr. Kiasu. During the late 1990s to early 2000s, he was best known for his role as...
it-tīng is a loan from Mandarin. 驚輸 kiann-su Fear of losing out/failure - kiasu 驚失敗 kiann sit-pāi 公私 kong-si Share 分 / 公家 pun / kong-ke 正 tsiā Very 真 tsin...
such as "Lah" and "sinseh" were already included in OED's debut, while "kiasu" made it into the online list in March 2007. Reactions were generally positive...
Firefly Red Numbers Everybody's Business Ah Gu 2014 A Fantastic Ghost Wedding Kiasu 2015 My Papa Rich 2016 Young & Fabulous Hao Lian Let's Eat 2017 Take 2 Hei...
potential (see golem effect), even if they are not necessarily stupid. This kiasu mentality puts mounting pressure upon the protagonists of the film, confounding...
starts annoying Rosie with a camera in her face. Beng has turned extremely kiasu and is in high gear getting Kang prepared for the birth. Beng regiments...
Light Up Love 點·亮·愛 Hsiao-chun Short film 2013 The Harbor 港都 Hua Lin 2014 Kiasu 做你愛做的事 Delia 2015 Lion Dancing 2 鐵獅玉玲瓏2 Chi 2015 We Are Family 我們全家不太熟 Hsiao-chien...
Jackson TV film 2014 Finding Lion King 天下第一獅 Zheng Mei Chew Huat Yeow TV film Kiasu 做你愛做的事 Mei Ling Law Gwo Yunn Co-production between Taiwan & Malaysia Hungry...
Chong joined the cast. Chew Chor Meng and Huang Wenyong return as the "kiasu" Ah Bee and his penny-pinching uncle Kim Lye respectively. Ah Bee has set...
Nanda, Akshita (12 November 2017). "Singapore Writers Festival closes with 'kiasu' fun". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 30 November 2023. Chew...
indicus, a tree and its wood also known as Pashu padauk or Malay padauk. Kiasu, a Singlish and Manglish concept referring to niggardly, rude or ungrateful...
Astra Lost in Space BanG Dream! JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: The Animation Mr Kiasu: Everything Also Like Real JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable...
context changes. Culture of Hong Kong Sense of community Classical liberalism Kiasu Hong Kong portal "港人情繫獅子山 / People Below the Lion Rock". RTHK. "獅子山下 經典重溫"...
HackerspaceSG Singapore's first kiasu-free zone Formation 21 November 2009; 14 years ago (2009-11-21) Type NGO Purpose Hackerspace Headquarters 336D King...
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