kiasi
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kiasi
- /ˌkjɑːˈsiː/ Singapore
- [ˌkjã˧ˈsiː˦˨] Singapore
Rhymes with -iː
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Hokkien 驚死／惊死 (kiaⁿ-sí, “afraid to die”).
adjective more kiasi · most kiasi
-
Unwilling to take a risk for fear that something bad or unfavorable will happen; cowardly, overly cautious and risk-averse.
Why are you so kiasi? You won't die from getting a small cut on the finger.
Similar: cowardly
noun kiasi · kiasis
- A kiasi person. Apart from the kiasis and kiasus, there are also Singaporeans at the other end of the scale – the healthcare workers who put their lives at risk.
Talk about this word "kiasi." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/kiasi. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. kiasi. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/kiasi "kiasi." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/kiasi.Cite this
@misc{kiasi_2026,
title = {kiasi},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/kiasi},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
