"national serviceman" means: In Singapore, a 'national serviceman' (often abbreviated NS man) refers to a male citizen or permanent resident undergoing compulsory milita.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
national serviceman
In Singapore, a 'national serviceman' (often abbreviated NS man) refers to a male citizen or permanent resident undergoing compulsory military conscription under Singapore's National Service program.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1967 · no dated citations yetDefinitions
In Singapore, a 'national serviceman' (often abbreviated NS man) refers to a male citizen or permanent resident undergoing compulsory military conscription under Singapore's National Service program. Singapore has mandatory national service for male citizens reaching age 18, making the term a standard part of everyday Singaporean vocabulary. It can refer to someone currently serving full-time (NSF) or a reservist (NSman) fulfilling annual in-camp training obligations. The term is neutral and administrative in register.
As a national serviceman, he had to report for in-camp training every year until he reached the age of 40.
"national serviceman" means: In Singapore, a 'national serviceman' (often abbreviated NS man) refers to a male citizen or permanent resident undergoing compulsory milita.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"national serviceman" means: In Singapore, a 'national serviceman' (often abbreviated NS man) refers to a male citizen or permanent resident undergoing compulsory milita.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Comments
(Singapore, military) a conscript.
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.
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "national serviceman".
🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "national serviceman" (N)
Browse all slang words starting with N.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- ORD65%
(Singapore, military) , the date when a national serviceman finishes his service.
- nasho63%
(chiefly, Australia, informal, countable) A person doing military national service.
- nasho62%
(chiefly, Australia, informal, uncountable) Military national service, conscription.
- 11B61%
(Singapore, military slang, ) An identity card used by a national serviceman, as opposed to one used by a civilian.