paiseh
Shy, embarrassed, or politely apologetic.
Definitions
Shy, embarrassed, or politely apologetic. From Hokkien 歹勢 (phái-sè), literally "bad situation". Used as an adjective ("so paiseh!"), a feeling-noun ("aiya, paiseh lah"), or even a verb-ish softener when asking a favour or declining one ("paiseh to ask you, but..." / "paiseh, I cannot make it tonight"). One of the most uniquely Singlish emotional concepts: it covers genuine embarrassment, social awkwardness, and the polite reluctance Singaporeans feel about imposing on others. Cannot be cleanly translated into a single English word.
Paiseh to trouble you, but can I borrow your charger?
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Other words near "paiseh" (P)
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Related terms
Semantically related
- sia suay73%
(Singapore, Singlish) Causing embarrassment or disgrace to others.
- sia suay70%
(Singapore, Singlish) To disgrace; to cause embarrassment for others.
- pek chek67%
Singaporean Hokkien-influenced slang meaning frustrated, exasperated, or fed up — the feeling of being at the end of one's patience with a situation or person. It is widely used in Singapore colloquial English (Singlish) and is broadly understood across ethnic communities in Singapore.
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(Singapore, Singlish) Interjection expressing strong disdain.
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(Singlish, Manglish) Tagged at the end of a sentence to express discontent, shock, surprise, exhaustion or exasperation.