Insults

To act ah beng means putting on a performative, loud, and slightly aggressive tough-guy attitude, usually involving flashy clothes, swaggering walks, and a specific brand of bravado. It’s for folks who clearly aren't actually part of a secret society but want everyone in the CCK bus interchange to think they’re the ones to watch out for.

This is what you say when someone is trying way too hard to bat their eyelids or put on a baby voice, but it honestly just makes everyone want to look away. It’s the ultimate reality check for when the 'innocent' act is failing spectacularly and becoming more annoying than adorable.

To act cool, aloof, or like you’re way too good for the people around you. It’s that exact vibe someone gives off when they treat you like they're a celebrity and you’re just a random fan, even though they’re probably just sitting at the same void deck as you.

Describes someone who is desperately trying to pull off the 'Ah Lian' aesthetic or attitude, but failing miserably because it just doesn't fit their personality. It’s that awkward moment when someone is being loud, aggressive, or overly 'street' but you can tell they were probably a straight-A student who’s never stepped foot in a karaoke lounge in their life.

Think of a guy with heavily gelled hair, maybe a tight polo tee, and a loud personality that screams 'I spend my nights revving motorbikes in the carpark.' It’s a stereotypical archetype for a young, unrefined Chinese man who acts tough, loves flashy gold accessories, and probably dropped out of school to hang with the boys.

The local term for a loan shark who operates outside the law. You really don't want to owe these guys money, because they have a creative ways of reminding you to pay up, like painting your front door or leaving a bicycle lock on your gate. It’s also occasionally used as a cheeky shorthand for a former Prime Minister, though you should probably keep that joke for your close friends.

A derogatory slang used to describe a White man who enjoys a level of privilege or 'star treatment' in Singapore simply for being White. It highlights the perceived double standard where these men get a free pass for behaviors that would be heavily critiqued if done by a local.

Describes someone or something that is completely useless, inactive, or just taking up space where they shouldn't be. Use this when your teammate contributes zero effort or when your umbrella breaks during a thunderstorm.

The go-to term for when someone is being a bit of a knucklehead or just completely lacking common sense. It’s not necessarily used to start a physical fight, but it’s definitely how you tell your friend they've done something incredibly foolish.

Describes that specific feeling when you are thoroughly miffed, irritated, or just plain dissatisfied with a situation. It’s the vibe you give off when someone cuts your queue or the coffee shop uncle serves your Milo lukewarm. If said with an aggressive tone and a chin-tilt, it’s basically an invitation to a scrap.

To 'carrot' someone is to pull a fast one on them by making them pay an absolutely ridiculous price for something. It’s like being the guy at the market who gets sold a 'premium' organic onion for the price of a ribeye steak—you just got carrot-ed, my friend.

To behave like a desperate bootlicker just to get on your boss's good side. It’s that cringey act of showering someone with excessive flattery or doing unnecessary favors, just hoping for a promotion or a freebie.

Literally 'smelly', but in practice, it is a versatile stamp of disapproval you slap onto anything that is terrible, corrupted, or nasty. You use it to describe everything from a literal foul odor to a person with a rotten attitude or a situation that has gone completely sour.

An expression used to describe a woman who is perceived as unrefined, loud, or tacky. It carries a heavy dose of sass and disapproval, often directed at someone whose fashion choices or behaviour follow a specific 'loud' suburban stereotype.

The granddaddy of all Singaporean expletives. It’s a versatile, heavy-duty vulgarity that works as a noun for someone you despise, or as an all-purpose exclamation when you’ve stepped in a puddle or someone’s cut you off in traffic. Use with extreme caution because it’s as offensive as it gets.

This is a heavy-duty insult used to call someone a 'little bastard' or a good-for-nothing brat. It’s definitely not for polite company or telling your grandma about, as it carries a sharp, vulgar bite that basically labels the person as a worthless troublemaker.

The granddaddy of all Cantonese vulgarities. It’s a versatile punch in the mouth that can express anything from intense frustration to genuine shock, but be warned: it’s definitely not for polite company or the hawker centre uncle’s ears unless you’re really close.

A raw, unfiltered way to say you are beyond annoyed; it’s that feeling when someone is being so irritating you feel like your blood is bubbling. Use this one carefully—it's definitely not for your boss or your grandmother, unless you really want to start a war.

A very crude shorthand for hurling insults at someone’s parents. It’s basically the local way of saying 'your parents are dead' as a generic, nasty curse when you’re absolutely furious. Definitely don't use this unless you want a punch in the face.

The ultimate way to broadcast that you have absolutely zero bandwidth for someone's nonsense. It’s like a 'do not disturb' sign for your brain; perfect for when you’re done arguing and just want to tap out of the drama.

The go-to label for someone who is being a bit of a blur sotong or just plain dim-witted. It’s what you call your friend when they walk into a glass door or forget their own birthday, usually delivered with a mix of exasperation and affection.

This is what you call that person who loves showing off their new Rolex or keeps reminding everyone about their big bonus. It describes someone who is excessively proud, arrogant, or just plain 'full of themselves'—basically, they love the attention and want to save face at all costs.

This is definitely the heavy artillery of Singaporean swearing—an extremely vulgar Hokkien phrase that translates to 'fuck your mother'. Given its offensive nature, keep this one far away from your aunties at the hawker centre, as it's typically reserved for moments of absolute rage or when you've well and truly lost your cool.

The absolute 'nuclear option' of profanity in Singapore, derived from Hokkien. It is rarely used literally and functions more as a reflex when someone is beyond furious, shocked, or experiencing a major life disaster. Do not use this unless you are prepared for a very serious fight—it is deeply offensive and carries heavy weight.

This is essentially the 'nuclear option' of local vulgarities, used only when you are absolutely incensed or beyond frustrated. It’s an incredibly coarse Hokkien profanity that carries massive emotional weight; saying this in public is a quick way to start a fight or get a very stern look from an aunty.

This is essentially the 'nuclear option' of Singaporean profanity. It is an extremely vulgar, aggressive exclamation used only when you are absolutely livid or in a state of total disbelief, and should be avoided at all costs unless you want a proper fight.

Describes someone who just can’t help but poke their nose into business that has absolutely nothing to do with them. It’s that aunty at the market who asks why you aren't married yet, or the colleague who suddenly appears at your desk the moment you start whispering.

Describes someone who is a bit slow on the uptake or just plain thick-headed. If you're explaining something for the fifth time and they still look lost, yep, they're being kayu.

Originally a traditional wooden fishing platform built on stilts, the word eventually evolved in common parlance to mean anything that's rigged, corrupt, or blatantly unfair. If you see a referee making some truly questionable calls at a football match, you scream 'kelong!' because you know the game was fixed from the start.

A sharp, aggressive way to tell someone to stop whining or complaining pointlessly. It’s the verbal equivalent of a giant eye-roll, usually thrown at someone who is being overly dramatic or making a big fuss over nothing.

An aggressive way to tell someone to stop their incessant whining or dramatic complaining. It’s the ultimate shut-down for when someone is making a mountain out of a molehill and you really couldn't care less.

A crude, derogatory term for a sex worker. You won't hear polite company using this, so unless you're looking for a quick way to sound like a sleazy person, it's best to leave this one out of your vocabulary entirely.

Commonly used as a rather crude way to mean 'to heap' or 'to slather' something, like when you lam too much sambal on your bee hoon. It can also be used as a vulgar intensifier, much like adding an f-bomb to express extreme disbelief or anger.

A crude, vulgar Hokkien term for testicles. It’s mostly used as an expletive to express intense frustration, or to describe someone you find incredibly annoying or useless—basically, someone who is a total drag on your day.

This is a very vulgar Hokkien term for a penis, but in the streets, it’s basically the Swiss Army knife of profanity. You’ll hear it shouted when someone is beyond frustrated, or as a colourful way to express pure disbelief—don't ever use this in front of your grandma or a judge.

This is what you say when you have absolutely no choice but to suck it up and deal with a lousy situation. It captures that specific feeling of being forced to swallow a bitter pill because fighting back is just too much effort or entirely futile.

This is what you say when you have absolutely no choice but to suck it up and deal with a lousy situation. It captures that specific feeling of being forced to swallow a bitter pill because fighting back is just too much effort or entirely futile.

Technically just the monsoon drain outside your HDB, but it’s evolved into a colorful label for anything or anyone that's messy, vulgar, or straight-up trashy. If someone is 'speaking longkang,' they’re letting out a stream of rather creative profanity that would make an auntie faint.

The classic way to say 'serves you right' when someone gets what they deserve after doing something silly or wrong. It’s that little bit of satisfying bluntness—often said with a smirk—after your friend trips over their own ego.

This is a very vulgar and aggressive Hokkien curse that essentially translates to 'broken fanny.' It is a heavy-duty insult used to express extreme anger or to demean someone, usually a woman, by attacking her sexual morality in the harshest way possible. Don't go using this unless you are truly prepared to cause a massive scene or start a fight.

The sound something makes when it hits flat—like a wet rag on the floor or a palm meeting a cheek. These days, the youth use it as a cheeky, hush-hush way to describe hanky-panky, so maybe don’t use it in front of your grandmother unless you want to see her look very confused.

A derogatory slang used in National Service or the workplace to describe someone who is physically unfit, injured, or constantly claiming medical issues to avoid work or training. It plays on the visual similarity between 'Pikachu' and the Hokkien term for having lame or crippled limbs.

This word pulls double duty. As an adjective, it’s a blunt way to say someone is chubby or portly. But hear a sharp 'Pui!' thrown at someone, and you know they're expressing utter contempt or disgust, like they're literally spitting on the audacity of the situation.

The literal term for faeces, but in daily Singlish, it’s mostly used to express total disgust or to describe something that’s absolutely terrible. If your boss gives you extra work on a Friday afternoon, or the chicken rice you bought is flavourless, that's 'sai' right there.

This is the king of rude rhetorical questions. It is the verbal equivalent of a middle finger, used when you are genuinely pissed off, utterly baffled, or just have zero patience for someone talking nonsense. Definitely don't use this one in front of your grandmother or your boss, unless you're looking for a one-way ticket to unemployment.

This one is the ultimate way to describe being a total embarrassment or a walking disaster. It’s what you say when someone does something so painfully 'paiseh' that it makes everyone else look bad just by standing near them.

A versatile, slightly edgy intensifier that adds a punch of frustration or extreme emphasis to whatever you’re saying. Think of it as the local way to say 'damn' or 'bloody hell,' usually reserved for when things are going horribly wrong or you're just incredibly annoyed.

The go-to word when someone is acting absolutely bonkers or out of their mind. You'll hear it used as a casual insult, a warning to stay away, or just a genuine expression of shock at someone's questionable life choices.

This is a heavy-duty insult you definitely shouldn't use unless you're prepared for a fight. It labels someone as a colossal idiot or a complete and utter moron—essentially calling them a 'stupid cunt' with zero filter.

Literally a squid, but when you call someone this, you’re saying they’re blur like sotong. It’s for that friend who always stands in front of the MRT door while people are trying to exit, or forgets where they put their phone while it’s in their hand.

A slightly mean way to describe young people who seem a bit too delicate for the harsh realities of the working world. Just like the fruit, they look bright and attractive, but they bruise easily the moment they face any real pressure or 'heat'.

Technically, he's the respected Earth Deity found in local temples, the guy you pray to for good fortune and smooth sailing. But in local slang, if someone says you talk like a 'Tua Pek Kong' or look like one, they might be teasing your old-school ways, or more commonly, calling you the poor sap who got picked to take the fall for someone else's mistake.

This is the ultimate label for something or someone that brings serious shame or disgrace. You use this when someone does something so embarrassing it makes you want to hide under the hawker centre table.

Describes someone who walks around like they own the place, acting cocky or full of themselves because they think they’re the hottest thing since sliced roti prata. Use this when your friend gets a tiny promotion and suddenly starts acting like a CEO.

Describes someone who acts all high and mighty or thinks they are the king of the world when they really aren't. Usually used to describe that one friend who just got a new pair of shoes and suddenly acts like they're walking on a runway.