Commonly found variants; note these may range from acceptable alternatives to
non-standard forms or incorrect spellings*.
* Singlish is a largely spoken creole, and as such descriptivism (recording forms that reflect actual pronunciation in spoken language, or as appearing in the linguistic corpus) is more pertinent than strict prescriptivism. Nevertheless, the use of more standard forms (or for words originating in languages with Latin script, such as Malay, accurate to the original spelling) is recommended and encouraged.
* Singlish is a largely spoken creole, and as such descriptivism (recording forms that reflect actual pronunciation in spoken language, or as appearing in the linguistic corpus) is more pertinent than strict prescriptivism. Nevertheless, the use of more standard forms (or for words originating in languages with Latin script, such as Malay, accurate to the original spelling) is recommended and encouraged.
also can:
buey hiao bai buay hiau bai buey hiau bai buey heow bai buay heow bai
buay hiao bai
简
繁
→
Hokkien:
𫧃晓䆀
𣍐曉䆀
poj:
bōe-hiáu-bái
Detailed etymology
definitions
adjective
- shameless; overwhelmingly arrogant; inclined to show off
Not all Singapore influencers are considered buay hiao bai, but aspiring ones without anything to show for it might be. Social media comments and instant messaging have made this even more apparent these days.
— 2024 March 11, Athirah Syamimi. 4 Underrated Singlish Expressions to Use Today. https://www.bestinsingapore.co/underrated-singlish-expressions/
synonyms: