Kiasu 驚輸 (惊输)

kiaⁿ-su · from Hokkien

What does kiasu mean?

Kiasu (驚輸), Hokkien for afraid of losing, describes a grasping, competitive anxiety about missing out, associated with Singapore and Malaysia.

Examples include queuing hours for freebies or reserving tables with packets of tissues (chope). The word entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2007. It is used both self-mockingly and critically.

Examples

Kiasu parents booking tuition for toddlers; chope a table with a tissue packet; kiasee (afraid of dying, overly cautious)

Kungfucius says: Kiasu: FOMO, but with a Hokkien accent and a reserved hawker seat.