Malaysian English vocabulary
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- Main article: Malaysian English
Contents |
[edit] General vocabulary
These words are used either in writing or orally.
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
This list is not intended to be comprehensive. Please note that many, if not most words listed are very localised or almost obsolete today.
[edit] A to D
A
- ABC - Air Batu Campur (ice blended with melted sugar,beans,corn and chendol
- Aci -elderly Indian woman
- Ah Long/Along - loan shark.
- aiyoo/aiyah - to express frustration. The former's from Indian, the latter Chinese.
- amoi/amoy - Chinese girlfriend.
- apa - what.
- apartment - a medium-cost and high-cost flat with veranda/balcony.
- ATM - automated teller machine.
- awek - Malay girlfriend.
- aisey man - "I'll say, man." Used to express frustration.
B
- blue
- a brawl or heated argument (for example "they were having a blue"), similar to the British word "barney".
- offensive ("blue language").
- balak - Malay boyfriend
- bapok -transvestite, sissy
- botak-bald-headed
- blur - confused/slow-thinking.
- bodoh - stupid.
- bohsia - young female slut
- brinjal - eggplant.
- bungalow - a villa.
C
- cantik - beautiful.
- ceti haram - loan shark (Indian)
- chao/chow - goodbye/see you.
- Cik - Miss (a Malay title used to address unmarried women).
- cincai - sloppy
- chop - to stamp (with a rubber stamp), as well as the stamp itself.
- condominium - a high-rise flat typically high-cost with veranda and other facilities.
- comot- messy
- cut (other vehicles) - to overtake
D
- dang - damn.
- deco - decoration.
- demo - demonstration.
- depa - they, generally used in Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Pinang.
- driver
- someone who drives.
- chauffeur.
[edit] E to K
E
- encik - mister.
F
- flat - a low-cost high-rise flat typically without veranda.
- follow - to accompany.
G
- gwai loh - white person (negative, from Cantonese)
H
- having-in - eat-in at a restaurant.
- haprak- useless, rubbish
- hampeh-useless, meaningles, rubbish
- hang- you, generally used in Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Pinang. Used only to address good friends.
- HP - acronym of handphone, mobile phone or cellphone.
J
- jangan - don't.
- jom- let's go
K
- kampung
- village
- hometown (used as a possessive noun, for example my kampung which means my hometown)
- kaki/kakilang - friend, company (literally means 'leg'. e.g. "I can't go, I have no kaki.")
- kantoi - get caught in trouble.
- kay poh chee/kepoh - busy body (for example "why are you so kay poh chee?")
- keep
- to put away or store.
- to retain as one's own.
- keling- Indian (offensive term)
- kuih - small cakes eaten before or after meals.
[edit] L to P
L
M
- Malacca - Melaka.
- makan - eat.
- McD (pron. "Mac-D", no "s" sound) - McDonald's restaurant.
- mee - noodles.
- member - also means a friend.
- Mat Rempit - illegal motorbike racer (male).
- Maple'- roadside hawkers
- mata - police (literaly: eye)
- Mat Salleh - a white person/Caucassian
- momantai - no problem (from Cantonese)
- malu - shy/embarassed
N
- nah - here (used when giving something to another person. e.g: "Nah, kotak!" ; "Here, a box!").
- NS/KN - National Service/Khidmat Negara
- Negri Sembilan - Negeri Sembilan.
O
- ong - luck.
- outstation - out of town/overseas.
- otai-chief,leader, (Old timer)
P
- pass up - to hand in (for example "pass up your assignments").
- pass motion - defecate.
- pat - see kay poh chee. (from Cantonese)
- Penang - Pulau Pinang.
- pondan - a derogatory term for shemales and transexuals.
- Puan - Mrs. (a Malay title used to address married women).
[edit] Q to Z
R
- ragut- to snatch
- raya - festive (usually referring to Eid).
- remisier - stockbroker.
- rembat- to steal
- rubber - meaning eraser (for example "can I borrow your rubber?").
S
- sambal - traditional sauce.
- send - to take somebody to somewhere (for example "I'll send you to the airport.").
- slippers - Japanese sandals; as in US and UK "flip-flops", Australia "thongs".
- sms - text message.
- stylo - stylish.
T
- take-away - food purchased at a restaurant but eaten elsewhere.
- tapau - see take away.
- thrice - three times.
- tin - can, especially for processed foods. (for example "give us a tin of beans.") Can is usually reserved for soft drinks or beer/cider.
- tani - drinking spree
U
- U - university.
W
- warung - Malay food stall
