Laughs

10 S’pore Lingos That Used to Be Popular But Have Been Killed By Gen-Zers

2019-09-30 , 1:00 am

Last Updated on 2023-02-18 , 10:33 am

Singapore is a melting pot of cultures—and if you were born and bred here (especially in the 70s or 80s), there will be a slew of colloquial lingos that you would be familiar with.

But with social media and memes, the said lingos are slowly dying off and terms like “woke” and “fleek” have been gaining popularity among the younger generation.

I am looking at you Gen-Zers.

Did you know Singlish is so popular that some terms even made it to the Oxford English Dictionary?

If it’s good enough for them, it is good enough for us.

So here are 10 Singaporean lingos that have not stood the test of time and hopefully, they will get a renaissance of sorts

1) Har-na

Typically used when someone is nagging at you.

Boss: Don’t forget to finish up the monthly report before clock off

Lazy employee who loves to procrastinate: Har-na, har-na.

2) Heng

What appears to be like a surname of a Chinese individual, it is actually used when you come out of a less than favourable situation unscathed.

Zhi Hao: Heng I came into the office before it rained

3) Abuden

It is our version of “duh!”.

If someone stated the obvious, this would be an apt reply.

Zhi Hao: The water is so wet
Yiin Jiunn: Abuden!

4) Gabrah

Not to be confused with the psychic Pokemon, Kadabra.

It is the exact opposite of Kadabra which is a calm and collected Pokemon.

Yiin Jiunn: Zhi Hao, damn gabrah when the boss called him into the office.

5) Bao Toh

If someone bao tohs you, he or she is a tattletale.

Yiin Jiunn: This Zhi Hao, bao toh me sia. He told the boss I took a 2-hour lunch break.

6) Or-bi-good

I am sure you would have used this during your childhood when your friend/enemy got into trouble.

This term will be even more powderful if you said it with the flapping action, like a chicken flapping its wings.

7) Angkat Bolah

This malay slang if translated directly, it means to carry balls.

I am sure you would have come across someone who is a total kiss ass to his or her boss in a very servile way.

8) Merepek

Merepek is when someone who won’t STFU and keeps on spewing nonsense.

Basically, someone who trash talks which is totally different from talking smack.

9) Steady Bom Pi Pi

This is used on someone who is super cool during stressful situations.

Sometimes, it can be also used to confirm a plan, especially if someone says, “steady?”

You reply back: ‘Steady bon pi pi!”

10) Tiam

When someone is damn merepek (refer to point 8), you can tell them to tiam which is basically asking them to STFU.

Featured Image: ZDL / Shutterstock.com