All the words
particleexclamationfoodmamakdailyemotioninsultmoneyworkschoolfamilyfestivedrivinginternetregionalpeoplephrasecomplimentsuperstitionromancekampung
- kiasuHokkien for 'afraid to lose'. That competitive urge to grab the best, the most, or the first.
- kitakSarawakian for you.
- kitorangCasual Malay for us or we, not including the listener. From 'kita orang'.
- kokoOlder brother, from Chinese 'gor gor'. Also gor gor, kor kor.
- kongsiTo share, from Hokkien.
- kopi OBlack coffee with sugar, no milk. Kopi O kosong means no sugar either.
- kopi pengIced coffee with milk. 'Peng' is Hokkien for ice.
- kopitiamA traditional Chinese coffee shop with marble tables, kaya toast and old-school drinks.
- korangCasual Malay for you guys, from 'kau orang'.
- kotMalay for 'maybe' or 'I guess', added to sound unsure. Also spelt kut.
- kow kowExtra strong or very, very much. Kopi kow kow is super thick coffee. Also spelt kaw kaw, kaw.
- kowpehHokkien slang for complaining non-stop. The full version is kow peh kow bu.
- kuliA labourer doing grunt work; also used jokingly for an overworked employee.
- kununSabahan particle meaning 'supposedly' or 'so they say', often dripping with sarcasm.
- kurang manisLess sweet. What health-conscious Malaysians say when ordering drinks.
- lahThe king of Manglish particles. Tacked onto the end of a sentence to soften it, stress it, or just make it sound Malaysian. Also spelt la, …
- lain macamStrange or different, giving off a weird vibe.
- lakiCasual Malay for husband, from 'lelaki', man.
- lansiHokkien for arrogant or show-off. Also spelt lan si.
- last timeManglish for 'in the past' or 'back then', not just the previous occasion.
- lawaMalay for beautiful or pretty.
- lehAdds a soft, slightly pleading or tentative tone, or gently pushes back on something.
- lembapSlow, sluggish, or slow-witted.
- lengluiCantonese for pretty girl. Also spelt leng lui.
- lengzaiCantonese for handsome guy. Also spelt leng zai.
- lepakTo hang out and chill, doing nothing in particular.
- liaoFrom Hokkien, meaning 'already', or that something is finished or done for.
- like that also canManglish for 'that works too', or a sarcastic 'seriously, that's allowed?'.
- limau aisIced lime juice, the go-to thirst quencher. Teh O ais limau is iced lemon tea.
- line clearCoast is clear, nobody watching.