Kee-Ah-Soo (:

Marianne's Dad and her Mum was talking about this word and Hui Xian was explaining it to them.

I googled it and this is it (:




KIASU
(kee-ah-soo)

Hokkien adjective literally meaning, "afraid of losing". A highly pejorative description beloved of Singaporeans. Possibly our defining national characteristic. The nearest English equivalent is "dog in a manger", though even that is pretty mild.

"You went to get a handicapped sticker just to chope a parking space? How kiasu can you get?"