What it means
The fear of missing out or losing out, taken to obsessive levels. From the Hokkien words for afraid and lose, kiasu perfectly describes the relentless competitive drive to always be first, always secure the best deal, and never miss an opportunity. Singapore itself is sometimes called a kiasu society. Arriving at the hawker centre before it opens so you get first pick? That's kiasu.
Usage examples
"She registered her kid for piano, swimming, and coding all at age four lah. Super kiasu but what to do, everyone doing the same"
"He's so kiasu he queued from dawn just to grab the first batch of buns."
"Booking the holiday six months early is peak kiasu, but the deals are unbeatable."
"Aunty went down at 7am to chope the best queue number for the clinic. Wah, damn kiasu."
"Don't be so kiasu lah, the sale runs all weekend and nobody's stealing your sneakers."
Where it comes from
Kiasu comes from Hokkien, from elements meaning afraid and lose. It grew into a classic Singaporean word for that itchy, overclocked need to not miss out, not fall behind, and not let anyone else grab the better spot first. It can be a mild dig, but people also use it with a wink.
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