From Malay
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- agak-agakUse your common sense; also to roughly estimate.
- biasa lahMalay for 'normal lah' or 'as usual', shrugging something off.
- buat bodohTo play dumb or ignore something on purpose.
- buay tahanHokkien-Malay mix for 'can't stand it any more'.
- cari makanLiterally 'look for food'. Means earning a living.
- cari pasalLooking for trouble, picking a fight.
- cukup makanJust enough to get by, usually about money or salary.
- katak bawah tempurungA frog under a coconut shell: someone narrow-minded who knows little of the world.
- ke lautLiterally 'to the sea', meaning way off track or really bad.
- kecekKecek is a Malay word that primarily means to speak, talk, or chat, most famously used as a core verb in the Kelantanese dialect.
- lain macamStrange or different, giving off a weird vibe.
- makan anginLiterally 'eat wind'. Means going on a holiday or a relaxing trip.
- makan dalamTo suffer quietly, keeping your frustration or pain to yourself.
- makan gajiTo work as a salaried employee rather than running your own business.
- makan hatiLiterally 'eat heart'. To feel hurt or upset inside, often silently.
- Malaysia bolehNational catchphrase meaning 'Malaysia can do it!', said proudly, or sarcastically when something absurd happens.
- mana adaMalay for 'no way' or 'not true', literally 'where got?'.
- otak kat lututLiterally 'brain at your knee', meaning not thinking at all.
- pisangPisang literally means "banana," but colloquially it is used to describe feeling extremely bored, mentally exhausted, or having nothing to …
- potong stimA mood killer or killjoy; to ruin the fun.
- syok sendiriBeing full of yourself, or enjoying something alone while nobody else cares.
- tak bolehMalay for cannot. 'Tak boleh tahan' means can't stand it.
- tak kisahMalay for 'I don't mind' or 'whatever'.
- tak payahMalay for 'no need' or 'don't bother'. Also tak yah.
- takde halMalay for 'no problem' or 'no big deal'.
- takkanMalay for 'no way' or 'surely not', expressing disbelief. Also tak kan, takkanlah.
- takpeMalay for 'it's okay' or 'never mind'. Also takpa, tak apa.
- tumpang lalu'Excuse me, passing through.' Said when walking past people, or politely to unseen spirits in the jungle.
- tunggu kejapMalay for 'wait a moment'. Often shortened to kejap or jap.
- Turun PadangIn Malaysian slang and casual conversation, "turun padang" means "to pull up" "show up" or "get hands-on".