Thursday, 13 September 2007

WORDS A MALAYSIAN MUST USE BEFORE DYING

(Just in case you're wondering, this is for my own chapter in New Malaysian Essays 1. I will be writing something that will be called either 'An Uncensored Malaysian Dictionary' or the title of this here blog post. The chapter will be around 12,000 words long and will of course include definitions, usage examples (which should be fun to write) and, wherever possible, etymology. I will collect many here, then pick my favourites and work from those. When read from start to finish it is meant to tell a kind of story. I am inspired, believe it or not, by Nabokov's Pale Fire).




1. ABC
2. Achi
3. Action
4. Adoi
5. Ah beng
6. Ah kua
7. Ah long
8. Aiseyman
9. Alamak
10. Alibaba
11. Amoi
12. Anak ikan
13. Ang pow
14. An-nay (provided by POP! ARE US)
15. Apa kes (provided by RAMLEE)
16. Apanama (provided by RAMLEE)
17. Apek
18. Awek
19. Ayat (provided by KEN KIN)
20. Ayoyo
21. Babi
22. Bagus
23. Bahalul (provided by DANNY LIM)
24. Baik punya
25. Balak
26. Balun (provided by AZMYL)
27. Bangali (provided by POP! ARE US)
28. Bangang (provided by DANNY LIM)
29. Bangla
30. Bangsat (provided by POP! ARE US)
31. Bapak
32. Bapuk
33. Barua
34. Basket
35. Batu api
36. Beb ((provided by DANNY LIM)
37. Bebal (provided by DANNY LIM)
38. Best (provided by ANDREW)
39. Binawe
40. Blah (provided by AZMYL)
41. Blur
42. Bodek
43. Bohsia
44. Boleh
45. Bongok (provided by DANNY LIM)
46. Borak
47. Boria
48. Boroi
49. Bos
50. Botak
51. Boyan
52. Brader
53. Bugger
54. Bungkus
55. Burit (provided by TIPTRA)
56. Butuh
57. Cable
58. Cabut (provided by AZMYL)
59. Canggih
60. Catch no ball (provided by JY)
61. Caya
62. CBT
63. Celaka (provided by LIFF)
64. Chabo (provided by DANNY LIM)
65. Choi
66. Cibai
67. Cilok
68. Cinapek
69. Cincai
70. Cipap (provided by M.ZUL)
71. Ciplak
72. Ciput
73. Comolot
74. Conteng
75. Control hensem
76. Corner
77. Cover line
78. Cucuk
79. Cun
80. Dajal (provided by ALIA)
81. Dangdut
82. Dengki
83. Die-die
84. DLL (dan lain-lain) (provided by XMOCHA)
85. Duit kopi
86. F’ler
87. Faiti
88. Feng shui
89. Feng tau
90. Fire
91. Fren (provided by JY)
92. Frust
93. Fuyoh
94. Gabra
95. Gam (provided by POP! ARE US)
96. Gatal
97. Geli
98. Gempak (provided by ZALEE)
99. Geng
100. Geram
101. Gian
102. Giler
103. Goblok (provided by TIPTRA)
104. Gol (as in death)
105. Gone case (provided by DANNY LIM)
106. Goreng
107. Gostan (and its opposite, gohed, is provided by SAHARIL)
108. Gua
109. Gundek
110. Gwailoh (provided by DANNY LIM)
111. Hai lo (provided by TAY SY)
112. Haiya (provided by POP! ARE US)
113. Halal (provided by ANDREW)
114. Half-past six (provided by JY)
115. Ham sap
116. Hampeh (provided by LIFF)
117. Hancus
118. Hantu
119. Hapchu (provided by SHARON BAKAR)
120. Havoc
121. Illek
122. ISA
123. Izzit?
124. Jakun
125. Jalan (incl. jalan-jalan)
126. Jam
127. Jamban
128. Jambu
129. Jinjang
130. Jiwang
131. Joli ((provided by DANNY LIM)
132. Jom ((provided by DANNY LIM)
133. Jubur
134. Kacang
135. Kacau (provided by ANDREW)
136. Kaki
137. Kamching
138. Kampung
139. Kan (provided by TAY SY)
140. Kan chong (provided by TAY SY)
141. Kantoi
142. Kapcai
143. Kasi can
144. Kau tim
145. Kau-kau
146. Kay poh
147. Kayu (provided by TIPTRA)
148. Kecoh
149. Kelam-kabut
150. Kelas
151. Kelentong
152. Keling
153. Kencing
154. Kepala
155. Kerek
156. Ketot
157. Khalwat
158. Kiasi (provided by TAY SY)
159. Kiasu
160. Kira
161. Kongkek
162. Kongsi ((provided by DANNY LIM)
163. Kontot
164. Kopek
165. Korek
166. Kosong-kosong
167. Koyak (provided by AZMYL)
168. Kuku (provided by TAYSY)
169. Kurang ajar
170. Kurang manis
171. Kureng
172. Lah
173. Lahanat (provided by SAHARIL)
174. Laidat (provided by TED MAHSUN)
175. Lain-lain
176. Lalang
177. Lalok
178. Lancap (provided by KEN KIN)
179. Lancau
180. Lansi
181. Lantak
182. Lanyak ((provided by DANNY LIM)
183. Laser
184. Layan (provided by AZMYL)
185. Leceh
186. Lempang ((provided by DANNY LIM)
187. Leng chai
188. Leng loi
189. Lepak (provided by TIPTRA)
190. Lingkup
191. Loaded
192. Lor
193. Lu
194. Lubang (produced by GRACE SHU)
195. Ma fan
196. Ma hai
197. Macha
198. Mah
199. Main (incl. main-main)
200. Mak Datin
201. Makan
202. Malu (incl. malu-malu)
203. Mamak
204. Mampus
205. Mangkuk
206. Manja
207. Mat fit (provided by AZMYL)
208. Mat salleh
209. Meletup
210. Member
211. Mengamok
212. Mengarut
213. Menten (provided by AZMYL)
214. Menyampah (provided by TIPTRA)
215. Meraban (provided by AZMYL)
216. Merajuk
217. Miang
218. Miscall
219. Muhibbah
220. Muka seposen / Ten-sen face
221. Ngam (incl. ngam-ngam)
222. Nyanyuk
223. Ondaway
224. One
225. Ong
226. Opocot ((provided by DANNY LIM)
227. Orait
228. Ori
229. Paiseh
230. Palat
231. Pancit
232. Pangsai (provided by DANNY LIM)
233. Pantat
234. Pariah
235. Pau
236. Pecah lubang
237. Pengkid
238. Pengsan (provided by ANDREW)
239. Pening
240. Perasan (provided by TIPTRA)
241. Pesan
242. PM (provided by ANDREW)
243. Pokai
244. Pondan
245. Ponteng
246. Porah
247. Pot
248. Power
249. Poyo (provided by DANNY LIM)
250. Projek (provided by DANNY LIM)
251. Pukimak
252. Pundek
253. Rempit
254. Rilek ((provided by DANNY LIM)
255. Rojak
256. Rubber
257. S’kali
258. Sabo
259. Saje (provided by DANNY LIM)
260. Sakai
261. Samseng
262. Sapu ((provided by DANNY LIM)
263. Sayang
264. Sayur (provided by AZMYL)
265. SB
266. Sedap
267. Selamba
268. Selekeh
269. Semacam
270. Sempoi (provided by JULIANA CHOO)
271. Sengkek
272. Sensitif
273. Settle
274. Share-share
275. Siut
276. Skodeng
277. Sky juice
278. Slowtalk
279. Sotong
280. Spender
281. Sporting
282. Spotting
283. Steady
284. Steng (provided by AZMYL)
285. Stim
286. Suay
287. Sub sub suay (provided by MISBEN)
288. Sub-con
289. Sundal
290. Surat layang
291. Syok
292. Tai kor
293. Tai tai
294. Taik
295. Tanggaci
296. Tapau
297. Taruh
298. Taukay
299. Telur
300. Tembak (provided by DANNY LIM)
301. Tension
302. Terbalik (provided by TAY SY)
303. Terpleot
304. Terror
305. Teruk (provided by ANDREW)
306. Thamby
307. Tibai
308. Tiu
309. Tokkok (talk cock)
310. Torak
311. Uncle
312. Usha
313. Wa lau eh
314. Whack
315. Wheregot?
316. Win-win
317. Yamakahai
318. YB




any further suggestions? :-)
at

93 comments:

  1. M.Zul13 September 2007 at 10:28

    what about CIPAP?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amir Muhammad13 September 2007 at 10:47

    thanks! it is now added. together with telur (as in balls), cucuk (as in provoke).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 11:09

    Saje.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Amir Muhammad13 September 2007 at 11:19

    now added.

    i wonder if people still say 'boria' when two or more people accidentally turn up with similar outfits.

    also, if 'kosong-kosong' as a way to settle debts is too specific, reserved only for Hari Raya, and not used by anyone else.

    well, i have kept them in provisionally.

    (and if i have feng tau, why don't u have dangdut? hmmm...)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ted Mahsun13 September 2007 at 11:21

    My wife uses boria once in a while.

    I'd nominate "laidat" (like that).

    ReplyDelete
  6. an0nymous-ign0ranus13 September 2007 at 11:29

    taik lembu?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Amir Muhammad13 September 2007 at 11:33

    taik lembu? hmmm...apa kes?

    i don't mind taik, as in 'buat taik' though.

    ReplyDelete
  8. an--ew13 September 2007 at 12:28

    "pengsan", "teruk", and "best"?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Amir Muhammad13 September 2007 at 12:44

    bagus!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 13:04

    Kau-tim.

    ReplyDelete
  11. alippy13 September 2007 at 13:05

    sial??
    celaka??
    hampeh??
    gampang??

    ReplyDelete
  12. Amir Muhammad13 September 2007 at 13:29

    Anon,

    Thanks:-)

    'sial' i will cover under 'siut'.
    'gampang' is more indo, kan?
    thanks for the other 2:-)

    Am also adding 'ponteng.'

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 14:30

    Poyo

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 14:31

    Where do you draw the line when it comes to insults. There's a rich, multi-lingual source of must-use words and phrases there.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Amir Muhammad13 September 2007 at 14:37

    thanks :-)

    i will shove everything in first, then edit. my criteria for the moment: it has to be a word that is used even by people who are not (at that moment) speaking that particular language. like saying 'lancau' when speaking engish.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 14:58

    bebal
    bahalul
    bangang
    nabbeh (as in nabbeh cibaiii)
    ganas
    Projek
    Kot
    Kaninah (bu)
    Konek
    Kucing kurap
    Tiuuuuu (ni ah seng)
    Kepala bapak (engkau)
    Kepala otak (engkau)
    Lanyak
    Lempang
    Kongsi
    Kwailoh/Gwailo
    Babi
    Whack only
    Tembak aje

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 15:05

    Lampah
    Dey
    Lim teh / Lim chui
    Jom
    Tani
    Rilek

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 15:22

    apa kehe ko ni?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 15:53

    jialat
    siao
    balik lah
    mak engko
    opocot

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 15:57

    Gone case
    Bongok
    Sapu
    Beb

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 15:57

    lobang
    ornot
    anden

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 16:03

    Blur cock

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 16:04

    pangsai

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 16:09

    joli (berjoli)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 16:20

    pirah
    buntut

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 16:38

    burit
    goblok
    siot
    perasan
    menyampah
    sakit
    kayu (as in referee kayu)
    mencanak
    skema
    pirate
    pantek
    LEPAK

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 17:19

    eksiden

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 18:13

    haram jadah!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 18:22

    caboh
    miang
    hiao

    ReplyDelete
  30. Amir Muhammad13 September 2007 at 18:24

    I added miang just before your message.

    Together with gatal, selamba, leceh.

    ReplyDelete
  31. *cosmic freak*13 September 2007 at 21:29

    kimak? I heard chinese and indians saying that too. they even say "puki anjing"

    or maybe hanjin.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 22:20

    penyamun
    kopikat
    tiru
    tipu
    hacks
    tiruan
    pseudo intelekpuan

    ReplyDelete
  33. Burhan13 September 2007 at 22:27

    on top of my head:

    aik?
    jeng-jeng-jeng!

    and from sarawak:

    auk (yes)
    nisik, or sik (no)
    taik ogek (that white yellow stuff in unbrushed teeth)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous13 September 2007 at 23:48

    what about

    LAHANAT (aka LAKNAT)

    and GOHED (sebab ada GOSTAN)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous14 September 2007 at 00:59

    jalang
    jamban
    juboh
    jual bontot

    ReplyDelete
  36. Amir Muhammad14 September 2007 at 01:13

    'sundal' is used a bit more than 'jalang', methinks.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous14 September 2007 at 01:30

    Lansi
    Indon
    Hantam

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous14 September 2007 at 01:34

    lansi (sombong)
    hai lo (yes! in kantonis)
    boss... bayar
    neslo
    tehping
    kopi ping
    lan eh (same as wa liao)
    kan chong (nervous)
    kan (mean tiu)
    tiu ni ah seng (fuck you)
    tebalek (upside down)
    u turn
    kiasi (afraid to die in hokkian)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous14 September 2007 at 02:11

    yamakahai

    ReplyDelete
  40. Dr3am T3am14 September 2007 at 02:23

    Dear Amir,

    do u think u can pass me your e-mail....i want to send you some stuff from this writer friend of mine.Ill tell you more in the mail.

    drmerp@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  41. Amir Muhammad14 September 2007 at 05:32

    kancah2001 at yahoo dot com.

    i already put "laan si" what. maybe alternate spelling ;-)

    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Unknown14 September 2007 at 12:17

    Beh tahan
    Blah/belah
    Cabut
    Gampang
    Jilaka
    Ketupat
    Koyak
    Layan
    Oi
    Lepuk
    Menten (maintain)
    Mat fit
    Meraban
    Muka tak mandi
    Rabak
    Sayur
    Sien
    Steng (setengah)
    Wah lan
    Wah

    ReplyDelete
  43. Unknown14 September 2007 at 12:18

    balun

    ReplyDelete
  44. art harun14 September 2007 at 12:42

    bro, u forgot "puki tiang!" :)

    ReplyDelete
  45. HS14 September 2007 at 14:09

    bangali

    ReplyDelete
  46. HS14 September 2007 at 16:41

    wa lau eh!
    gam (kena gam)
    ramly (ramly burger)
    koko leng piau (well not quite, but i figure this is a good bet to make it famous and take credit for it :))

    ReplyDelete
  47. HS14 September 2007 at 17:03

    ta fu ke (or however its spelt)
    kibod (kaki bodek...a recent addition by ASWARA students)
    ichibawa kamigaru
    no sweat
    pion
    a/l
    a/p
    conman
    konek
    ku ku cau

    ReplyDelete
  48. HS14 September 2007 at 18:05

    macibai
    see la/see la how
    cis
    cheh!
    black maria
    chinaman
    rotiman
    kaya (roti bakar)
    putumayam
    papadum
    An-ne (...at the mamak)
    i see...
    bangsat
    if you say so la
    your wish la
    watever!
    police n thief
    haiya

    ReplyDelete
  49. Amir Muhammad14 September 2007 at 19:01

    Thanks :-)

    If I don't put in a suggested entry, it doesn't mean you're stupid or anything. It just means that I can't imagine writing a whole paragraph about those words.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Zalee15 September 2007 at 01:51

    hello brader.. amacam "gempaq" boleh lupa?

    ReplyDelete
  51. Anonymous15 September 2007 at 07:15

    amok
    584
    ang pow
    sedap
    mc
    handphone

    ReplyDelete
  52. Anonymous15 September 2007 at 18:05

    kelentit

    ReplyDelete
  53. an--ew15 September 2007 at 19:29

    Amir,
    "PM", "Gila", "Sibuk", "Sabo" as in Sabotaj.

    ReplyDelete
  54. an--ew15 September 2007 at 19:32

    One more... how can we forget this one "Halal"

    ReplyDelete
  55. an--ew15 September 2007 at 20:01

    "benci" and "kacau"

    ReplyDelete
  56. Anonymous16 September 2007 at 00:01

    gago (bahasa Sarawak for kepo/busybody)
    bulak (lie or liar)
    play-play (I know this term was made popular by Singapore's "Phua chu Kang", but we seem to have adopted it into our lingo)
    kentut
    kacak
    hensem
    tripod (it's a term my parents' generation use to describe apple-polishing. Don't know where it originated from or how it came into being. There's a hand-gesture to go with it)
    bah
    loso (long-winded)
    het (as in " you never think, make me so het onli..."
    keksim (frustrated, heartbreak)
    seksident (unwanted pregnancy)
    pos lambat
    your head (or yo hed; as in "that's not right! Yo hed ah!")
    dungu (stupid)
    chiayu (literally "more oil")
    boh lui (no money)
    bolehland

    ReplyDelete
  57. Anonymous16 September 2007 at 00:17

    Just thought of another one:

    fren (as in "I don't fren u")


    Do you accept short phrases as well?

    half past six
    catch no ball

    ReplyDelete
  58. paperheART16 September 2007 at 01:37

    one word for u to add up : dajal.

    alia (once upon a time, ur neighbor)

    ReplyDelete
  59. Anonymous16 September 2007 at 03:21

    kuku (cock in hokkian)
    lui (duit in hokkian)
    kaki (buddy)


    taysy

    ReplyDelete
  60. Anonymous16 September 2007 at 04:26

    bagus
    lalat (as in "blur lalat")
    khalwat

    ReplyDelete
  61. Civilian16 September 2007 at 21:40

    anak haram

    ReplyDelete
  62. bibliobibuli17 September 2007 at 06:28

    hapchu - as in that frequntly-used (by shop-girls) phrase "can i hapchu?"

    ReplyDelete
  63. Anonymous17 September 2007 at 09:32

    Power (atau "hebat". power tuu..)

    ReplyDelete
  64. Ramlee Samsam17 September 2007 at 10:31

    How about....
    1. apa nama
    2. apa kes

    ReplyDelete
  65. FLOODY17 September 2007 at 19:42

    294."wa liao" should be "wa lau eh"? it originates from johor...

    ReplyDelete
  66. FLOODY17 September 2007 at 19:44

    Add one more huh, that is "kanasai", which means kena shit lah!

    ReplyDelete
  67. XMOCHA17 September 2007 at 22:37

    how about DLL?

    I hear people talk about the DLLs sometimes.. Dan Lain-Lain

    ReplyDelete
  68. Anonymous18 September 2007 at 04:31

    ah soh/makcik
    ada angin?

    ReplyDelete
  69. Anonymous18 September 2007 at 04:38

    machai/konco

    ReplyDelete
  70. Anonymous18 September 2007 at 04:56

    nyanyuk

    ReplyDelete
  71. Unknown18 September 2007 at 07:01

    Habis!
    Cis!

    ReplyDelete
  72. Misben18 September 2007 at 11:33

    sub sub suay

    ReplyDelete
  73. Amir Muhammad19 September 2007 at 00:10

    thanks, now updated :-)

    ReplyDelete
  74. Anonymous19 September 2007 at 13:31

    lelong
    pantang
    pantun

    ReplyDelete
  75. Anonymous19 September 2007 at 13:33

    sembang or "shake leg"

    ReplyDelete
  76. Anonymous21 September 2007 at 18:19

    chop or chup or cup, as children use will playing games

    ReplyDelete
  77. Anonymous22 September 2007 at 17:55

    cool list! some more...

    1. kepam
    2. tungkit
    3. nasi lemak (referring 4. 'lingku pao')
    5. cempegha
    6. kamjat
    7. peghak
    8. hai lat
    9. "fuck, spiders!"
    10. bogon (=police)
    11. racik
    12. sut/suwit
    13. tayam (dick-implants like ball bearings)
    14. Huk aloh
    15. setan gondol
    16. ketupat girls (my friends here don't know it, but what we used to refer to tudung girls)

    can't think of any more.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Anonymous22 September 2007 at 17:58

    "ketupats tapi mengkaaaa beb!"

    mengka is variation of mengkal=fit babe

    ReplyDelete
  79. Anonymous22 September 2007 at 18:08

    got a party started here:

    kodok
    kelentit
    mogwai (=jendul)

    kurtak, habuk (=cigarettes)-- street

    contender from kelantan: koq chak (hard k) -- =shag e..g. "demo nok kok chak?"

    kerinchi word: keduk (kay-duk) = doggiestyle

    cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  80. kasut-gombak24 September 2007 at 08:31

    hmm amir..

    how bout
    -sengal
    -cet?

    ReplyDelete
  81. Anonymous24 September 2007 at 14:27

    face,
    give face,
    waterface.
    Valisa

    ReplyDelete
  82. Anonymous27 September 2007 at 05:27

    Hi Amir,

    Notice an absence of "e" words.

    Here's a few:

    Eleh
    Ewah
    Eksyen

    ReplyDelete
  83. Anonymous2 October 2007 at 19:22

    new word. skema. like nerdy. but slightly better than nerdy though.

    ReplyDelete
  84. Anonymous2 November 2007 at 17:43

    Hi Amir,

    Hentam and Taram ade tak?

    - Hamdi

    ReplyDelete
  85. Anonymous16 November 2007 at 00:40

    Amir,

    Masa sekolah kitorang guna perkataan 'derb' utk 'cop' atau tempah sesuatu.

    Satu lagi, perkataan 'toron'. most ppl tau apa maknanya.

    ReplyDelete
  86. Anonymous16 November 2007 at 01:08

    Amir,

    'kopak' - as in pokai
    'kulikutif' - eksekutif yang kerja macam kuli
    'kipas' - as in bodek
    'ngokngek' - tak tau lak exact meaning
    'patah' - maknyah
    'gebang' - kelentong/cakap banyak (sebutan: gehbang)
    sontot/suntut - liwat
    tongtong - kongsi bayar
    sebiji - seiras
    pulun
    sebat - lebih kurang macam pulun gak
    skema - 'by-the-book'
    FaMa - pakai duit sendiri, mak ayah sponsor
    giler babeng
    cikai - kurang memuaskan
    standard - normal
    maple/mapleh

    ReplyDelete
  87. Amir Muhammad17 November 2007 at 08:08

    Thanks Azman :-) Wah you Petronas people, so creative...

    ReplyDelete
  88. Anonymous23 November 2007 at 20:47

    for the ah bengs and ah lians (yes, we have them too they're not only across the border) ... so hap lah .. as in happening ...

    ReplyDelete
  89. CheRyL26 November 2007 at 11:53

    amir..like i said just now..'hold don' as in when aswering the phone we always say..'hold don ar.." instead of hold on

    ReplyDelete
  90. CheRyL26 November 2007 at 15:21

    and..and..also so-so..we always use so-so

    ReplyDelete
  91. Anonymous29 November 2007 at 09:48

    apalanchau

    ReplyDelete
  92. Anonymous25 May 2008 at 14:01

    ngok
    cheneke

    ReplyDelete
  93. The Pooper18 October 2008 at 19:38

    salah parking

    strictly for guys only when your *ehem* is not in the comfy position

    ReplyDelete