Kiasuness means: The quality of being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).. It is mainly Singaporean English and may not be understood outside that context. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
kiasuness
(Singapore, Singlish, mildly, _, derogatory) The quality of being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).
ˈkjɑːsuːnəsDocumented since 1990s1990sMillennialhistorical190 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Etymology timeline
Born ~1990 · no dated citations yetMillennial / early-internet eraSee decade cohort →
Definitions
SG-MY
#1·Apr 27, 2026SG-MY
(Singapore, Singlish, mildly, _, derogatory) The quality of being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).
For parents
Kiasuness means: The quality of being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).. It is mainly Singaporean English and may not be understood outside that context. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
kiasuness means: The quality of being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).. Register: very informal, often derogatory or vulgar. Avoid in formal, business, academic, or polite writing. Even in casual speech the word can offend and is best left out of a learner's active vocabulary. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself.
Cluster: scared
Was this helpful?
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
SG-MY
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "kiasuness".
⚡About Tech, Dev & AI slang
The vocabulary of software engineers, AI researchers, and anyone living in a terminal or on GitHub — from LLM to MCP, CORS to vibe coding, agentic to enshittification.
See all Tech, Dev & AI slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "kiasuness" (K)
kiapKiarakiasikiasinesskiasukiasuismkibeikibozerKichenkick asskick ass and take nameskick at the can
Browse all slang words starting with K.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- kiasu88%
(Singapore, colloquial, mildly, _, derogatory) Afraid to lose out, particularly because one is overly competitive.
- kiasuism87%
(Singapore, Singlish, mildly, _, derogatory) The mindset associated with being kiasu (overly competitive and afraid to lose out).
- kiasiness87%
(Singapore, Singlish, mildly, _, derogatory) The quality of being kiasi, a stereotypically Singaporean attitude associated with being overly wary and willing to take excessive measures to avoid risk.
- kiasu82%
(Singapore, colloquial, mildly, _, derogatory) A kiasu person.
- kiasi77%
(Singapore, colloquial, mildly, _, derogatory) Unwilling to take a risk for fear that something bad or unfavorable will happen; cowardly, overly cautious and risk-averse.