different between kiasi vs kiasu

English

Etymology

From Hokkien ????? (kia?-sí, “afraid to die”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k????sî?/
• Hyphenation: kia?si

Adjective

kiasi (comparative more kiasi, superlative most kiasi)

1. (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) Unwilling to take a chance for fear that something bad or unfavourable will happen; cowardly.

   Why are you so kiasi? You won't die from getting a small cut on the finger.

   If everyone dares to bungee jump, why can't you do the same? Are you kiasi or what?

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:cowardly.

Noun

kiasi (plural kiasi or kiasis)

1. (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) A kiasi person.

See also

• kiasu

Anagrams

• Saiki, kiais

Swahili

Etymology

From Arabic ??????? (qiy?s).

Pronunciation

Noun

kiasi (ki-vi class, plural viasi)

1. amount, measure, quantity
2. price

   Synonym: bei

3. (firearms) cartridge

Adverb

kiasi

1. a little, somewhat
2. moderately
3. approximately

English

Etymology

From Hokkien ????? (kia?-su, “afraid to lose”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k????su?/
• Hyphenation: kia?su

Adjective

kiasu (comparative more kiasu, superlative most kiasu)

1. (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) Afraid to lose out, particularly because one is overly competitive.

Quotations

For more quotations using this term, see Citations:kiasu.

Translations

Noun

kiasu (plural kiasu or kiasus)

1. (Singapore, colloquial, mildly derogatory) A kiasu person.

See also

• kiasi