From Hokkien
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- abudenCheeky Malay slang meaning 'well, obviously' or 'what else did you expect?'.
- ah bengA stereotypical brash young guy with flashy style, spiky hair and a loud modified car.
- ah lianThe female counterpart of ah beng: loud, bold fashion, plenty of attitude.
- ah maHokkien for grandmother. Also a-ma.
- ah pekHokkien for an old man or elderly uncle.
- aiyahSaid in mild annoyance or resignation, like 'oh come on' or 'never mind lah'. Also spelt aiya.
- ang pauRed packet of money given at Chinese New Year and weddings. Also ang pow.
- bo chapHokkien for couldn't care less, ignoring someone.
- bo jioHokkien for 'didn't invite me!', the classic complaint when your friends go out without you.
- bo liaoHokkien for bored, or pointlessly silly.
- buay songHokkien for unhappy, unsatisfied or annoyed.
- buay tahanHokkien-Malay mix for 'can't stand it any more'.
- cheemHokkien for deep, complicated or hard to understand.
- chiaHokkien for treat, as in paying for someone. 'I chia you' means it's on me.
- chunAccurate, spot on, exactly right.
- chut patternHokkien-English for being tricky, full of excuses and schemes.
- cincaiWhatever, anyhow, done carelessly. From Hokkien. Also spelt chin chai.
- haiyaA sigh of exasperation, made famous by parents scolding their kids.
- hiaoHokkien for flirty or showing off in a flashy way.
- ho jiakHokkien for delicious, beloved in Penang. Also ho chiak.
- ho say liaoPenang Hokkien for 'great, well done', very often said sarcastically when things go wrong. Also ho seh liao.
- ho seh boHokkien greeting for 'how are you?'.
- horAsks for agreement, like 'right?' or 'you know?', or adds a warning tone.
- huatHokkien for 'prosper!', shouted at Chinese New Year and whenever money might be coming.
- jiakHokkien for eat. 'Jiak pa buay?' means 'eaten yet?', the Penang way of saying hi. Also chiak.
- jialatHokkien for terrible, hopeless, a really bad situation.
- kaypohNosy, a busybody. From Hokkien; Malay speakers say kepoh.
- kiam siapHokkien for stingy.
- kiasuHokkien for 'afraid to lose'. That competitive urge to grab the best, the most, or the first.
- kongsiTo share, from Hokkien.