kiasu

[ kee-ah-soo, kee-uh-soo ]

/ kiˈɑ su, ˈki əˌsu /

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adjective

self-serving, competitive, or greedy: parents who are kiasu about their children’s education.

noun

Also ki·a·su·ism . a kiasu mindset.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of kiasu

First recorded in 1975–80; from dialectal Chinese (Southern Min, Fujian): literally, “fear of losing or of losing out”; introduced into standard English by speakers of Singaporean English

Words nearby kiasu

Kiangsi, Kiangsu, Kiaochow, kia ora, KIAS, kiasu, kiaugh, kiawe, kibble, kibbutz, kibbutznik