Singaporean Mandarin Database

This database contains a collection of Mandarin terms which have cultural, historical or sentimental value unique to Singapore. These terms may be used by Singaporeans in the past or at present. Some of the terms are read in print while others are used in our everyday conversations.

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怕

pà

输

shū

afraid of losing to others (colloquially known as kiasu)

Speech

生活用语

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afraid of losing to others (colloquially known as kiasu)

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Speech

生活用语

Speech

释义

动词、形容词

  1. 形容胆小，不敢参与竞争。
  2. 害怕输给别人、事事争先恐后。
  3. 贪小便宜。
  4. 指霸位、插队的行为。
  5. 过度准备或要求过高。

DEFINITION

Verb , Adjective

  1. To describe someone who is timid and afraid of competing with others.
  2. To be afraid of losing to others, always rushing to be the first.
  3. To crave small gains.
  4. To describe behaviours of jumping queue or hogging a spot.
  5. To be overprepared or have unrealistic expectations.

由来
  • 有一种说法是在新加坡开始实施国民服役时，对于那些不敢面对困难或危险军训的人，普遍用“惊死”（福建话）来嘲笑他们。可能因“死”和“输”语音相近，在应用中逐渐以“输”取代了“死”，而且“怕输”比“怕死”更能表达胆小的含义。
ETYMOLOGY
  • One belief is that when Singapore first implemented National Service, people who were averse to the hardship or dangerous training were mocked with the term kiasi (Hokkien for “fearful of death”). Perhaps as the word “si” sounds phonetically similar to “su”, the term “kiasi” evolved to become “kiasu”. “Kiasu” also encompasses the meaning of being timid.
例句

一项新调查显示，我国有多达71%的家长，送孩子去参加至少一项额外课程，和亚太区另外15个国家地区相比，我国的家长在“怕输榜”上，排名第八。（《我报》，4/12/2013）

SAMPLE SENTENCE
A new survey indicates that up to 71% of local parents send their children to at least one enrichment class. Compared to 15 other countries in the Asia Pacific, Singaporean parents are in eighth place on the “Kiasu Ranking”. (My Paper, 4/12/2013)
相关资料

  • 无论在民间或媒体，“kiasu”一词被广泛使用。英语牛津词典（Oxford Dictionary）也把“kiasu”收录为正式词条。从“kiasu”还衍生了“kiasuism”一词来指称怕输的心理。

RELATED INFORMATION

  • The term “kiasu” is widely used in Singapore, both in print and colloquially. The Oxford Dictionary includes “kiasu” as one of its official entries. From “kiasu”, the term “kiasuism” was born, which is used to describe the mentality of being kiasu.

参考资料
点击查看怕输的参考资料
REFERENCES

Click here to view references for afraid of losing to others (colloquially known as kiasu)

 

 

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