Manglish vocabulary
Manglish refers to the colloquial form of Malaysian English, a very common spoken form of English in a casual or informal setting in Malaysia. It is essentially an English-based creole, with vocabulary and grammar influenced by other languages spoken in Malaysia - Malay, Hokkien, Mandarin, Cantonese and Tamil. The use of Manglish is discouraged at schools, where only Malaysian Standard English is taught.
Many Malay and Malaysian words or phrases that describe Malaysian culture have become part of Malaysian English. For instance, although kampung which literally means village is a Malay word, it is often used in Malaysian English literature, everyday speech and sometimes, even in Malaysian media.
General vocabulary
These words are used either in writing or orally.
This list is not intended to be comprehensive. Please note that many, if not most words listed are very localised or almost obsolete today.
A to D
A
- ABC - Air Batu Campur (ice blended with melted sugar, beans, corn and chendol)
- Aci - elderly Indian woman
- Ah Beng - Young Chinese male yuppie
- Ah Lian - Young Chinese female yuppie
- Ah Long/Along - loan shark, from Cantonese, 阿隆
- Ahmad/Ahmed - common name for Muslim Malay, but use to denote hired driver
- aiyoo/aiya - to express frustration. The former's from Indian, the latter Chinese, from Mandarin-哎哟/哎呀.
- amoi/amoy - Chinese girlfriend, from Hakka-阿妹.
- apartment - a medium-cost and high-cost flat with veranda/balcony.
- apek - elderly Chinese man, from Hokkien-阿伯
- apa kes - What's up? or when spoken in an angry tone "What's wrong with you?"
- aqua/ah kua - Derogatory term for transsexuals
- attack - attach (email)
- ATM - automated teller machine.
- awek - girlfriend.
- aisey man - "I'll say, man." Used to express frustration.
- angau - lovesick, or in deep affection with someone/thing
- angmor - [omit the r sound when pronounce] westerner, from Hokkien-红毛
- angpau - red packet with money to be given on Chinese New Year or during some occasion like wedding, birthday party and so on as a wishes to the receiver, from Hokkien-红包
B
- ban- hit/whack (from Cantonese)(e.g.: ban 9 7 you - hit/whack you heavily)
- blue
- a brawl or heated argument (for example "they were having a blue"), similar to the British word "barney".
- offensive ("blue language").
- porn reference ("blue movie", "layan blue").
- balak - boyfriend
- bapok - transvestite, sissy
- botak- bald-headed
- blur - confused/slow-thinking.
- bodoh - stupid.
- bohsia - young female slut, literally means 'no sound' ("boh" - No "sia" - Sound) from Hokkien
- bohjan - Young boyfriend of 'boh sia' (aforementioned female, jailbait, promiscuous slut)
- brinjal - eggplant.
- build board - billboard
C
- cantik - beautiful.
- ceramah - public speech.
- ceti haram - loan shark (Indian)
- chao/chow - goodbye/see you.
- chop - stamping with a rubber stamp, as well as the rubber stamp itself.
- cilok - weaving through traffic.
- Cik - Miss (a Malay title used to address unmarried women).
- cincai - informal, sloppy, also used denote anything as in "cincai-lah = anything goes/ anything is fine, whatever"
- condominium - a high-rise flat typically high-cost with veranda and other facilities.
- comot - messy
- convoy - To travel together on roadtrips or long drives
- cut (other vehicles) - to overtake
- Cibai/chibai - pussy (F**k) [ Hokkien ]
D
E to K
E
- encik - mister.
- entao - handsome / attractive male 缘投(hokkien)
- expressway - motorway (similar to the expressways in Japan, Korea or China)
F
- flat - a low-cost high-rise flat typically without veranda.
- follow - to accompany.
- fi- for
G
- ganja - marijuana
- gwai lou - Derogatory term for white person. From Cantonese 鬼佬
- gostan - derived from "go astern", reverse
- geng - powerful, From Cantonese 劲
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.
- highway - motorway, roads
- horn - (used as verb) to sound the vehicle horn/to honk
- HP - acronym of handphone, mobile phone or cellphone.
I
J
- jack (someone) - to praise other people to gain interests or favours
- jakun- derogatory term for a person who doesn't know something common
- jangan - don't.
- jom- let's go
K
- kampung
- village
- hometown (used as a possessive noun, for example my kampung which means my hometown)
- acting in a backward/rural way, used as a derogatory term in cities (you are so kampung)
- kai - Literally, chicken. Used to refer to a female prostitute. Cantonese.
- kapchai/kapcai - underbone motorcycle
- kaki/kakilang - friend, company (literally means 'leg'. e.g. "I can't go, I have no kaki.")
- kantoi - get caught in trouble/ to be caught red-handed
- kautim - to finish a task; settle, accomplish or done. From Cantonese term 搞掂
- 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.
- kepala budak - Normally referred to the size of a woman's breasts.
- kerang - cockles
- kong already - dead or non-functional
- kongmong - confused
- Kongsi Raya - a portmanteau, denoting the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid ul-Fitr) / Gong Xi Fa Chai + Selamat Hari Raya festivals
- kuih - small cakes eaten before or after meals.
- kupang - cent (10s based, i.e 1 kupang means 10 cents), generally used in Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Pinang
L to P
L
- lady's fingers - Malaysian/British English term for Okra.
- lalazai - People who do not have proper job / youngster with terrible fashion style.(from Cantonese)
- lanjiao or lanchau - Penis
- lawak - funny.
- lepak - loiter To Laze, relax, laid back, be slothful
- leng lui - Pretty girl. From Cantonese 靓女
- leng zai - Handsome guy 靓仔
- limteh - Go out drink. From Hokkien 饮茶
- lorong - small lane
M
- macha - Term for male friend, equivalent to English "bro". Originated from Tamil word.
- Malacca - Melaka.
- mahai - mother's vagina.
- makan - eat.
- mamak - Stall in road side.
- mata - Police
- mau - want (e.g. "Mau makan?" ; "Want to eat?").
- MC - abbreviation for medical certificate, or sick note in British English
- McD (pronunciation "Mac-D", no "s" sound) - McDonald's restaurant.
- mee - noodles.
- megi - instant noodles, adopted from the Maggi brand instant noodle.
- member - also means a friend.
- menteri - minister.
- Mat Gian - drug addict (male).
- Mat Motor - generic term for Malaysian bikers.
- Mat Rempit - illegal motorbike racer (male).
- Maple'- roadside hawkers
- mata - police (literally: eye)
- Mat Salleh - (Derived from British 'Mad Sailor')A white person or Caucasian. The female equivalent is 'Minah Salleh'
- Milo - generic term for hot chocolate or any chocolate drink, adopted from the Milo brand chocolate drink. Usually pronounced 'meelo' not 'my-lo'.
- momantai - no problem (from Cantonese)
- malu - shy/embarrassed
N
O
- off / close (an electric appliance) - to turn off the switch of an electrical appliance
- on / open (an electric appliance) - to turn on the switch of an electrical appliance
- ong - Having good luck. From the Hokkien word 旺
- outstation - out of town/overseas.
- otai-chief,leader, (Old timer)
- otek- Police
P
- padan muka - serves you right.
- paikia - bad guy. (from Hokkien)
- paiseh - shy/embarrassed (from Hokkien)
- pass up - to hand in (for example "pass up your assignments").
- pass motion - defecate.
- pat - see kay poh chee. (from Cantonese)[7+1 theory in networking mean broadcast (by Mr.Ooi from TARC ME division)]
- pei hai - someone who feel numb.
- Penang - Pulau Pinang.
- pokai - being broke. penniless.
- pondan - a derogatory term for shemales and transsexuals or effeminate men, the term also covers homosexuals in certain communities.
- Puan - Mrs. (a Malay title used to address married women).
- pulun - doing something in a massive scale (for example "pulun download" means downloading in massive scale).
Q to Z
R
S
- sakai - aborigine. Also used as an insult for an uncouth or stupid person.
- sakit adik - A horny person.
- sakit budak - Fond of small children/kids sexually. Pedophile.
- sambal - traditional sauce.
- sempoi - simple
- send - to take somebody somewhere (for example "I'll send you to the airport").
- seow - from the Hokkien term meaning crazy.
- sirap/syrup - rose syrup beverage.
- skodeng - to peep or records other's private activities.
- sohai - idiot (Cantonese)
- sotong - squid.
- sky juice - plain water.
- slippers - Japanese sandals; as in US and UK "flip-flops", Australia "thongs".
- SMS - text message.
- SPG - Abbreviation for Sarong Party Girl. Degoratory term to describe an Asian woman who exclusively dates white men.
- stylo - stylish. Stylo-mylo is occasionally used.
- suey/sueh - having bad luck. From Cantonese and Hokkien word 衰
- si-oh-oh my god Hokkien word
- sia-suey/sueh- embarrassed
- steamboat- Hot pot
T
- tak ngam - Not correct, does not match (Malay : "tak" - No, Cantonese : "ngam" - Correct)
- take-away - food purchased at a restaurant but eaten elsewhere.
- tapau/tarpau-ed
- See take away.
- To defeat an opponent in games. Similar usage to the term pwned
- 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
- toyol
- little child-like spirit in Malay folklore who steals valuables.
- cheat sheets during tests or exams.
- tek- take
U
W
- warung - Malay food stall
- wikang - endo (stoppie) or reverse wheelie
Y
- Yum cha - (Cantonese : Drink Tea) to hang out, to have drinks with friends/family
See also