kiasu

Definition

Afraid to lose out, particularly because one is overly competitive.

Etymology

Borrowed from Hokkien 驚輸／惊输 (kiaⁿ-su, “afraid to lose out”).

Example Sentences

• "No wonder the parents acted that way, she said. They were just being kia-su (afraid to lose out)."
• "The kia-si/kia-su ("afraid to die/afraid to lose") attitude of the Totalisator Boards in Malaysia and Singapore is deplorable."
• "We often see a bus with commuters practically spilling out of the front door and crowding at the exit door. But beyond that, a vacuum prevails, says a reader. The kia-su attitude is the reason for this, says the reader, and most of the culprits are students from secondary schools and junior colleges."