Chimbridge Singlish Dictionary

definitions

verb

1. to malinger; to feign sickness or injury

All you need to do is look to Reddit and forum threads, where many seek advice on how to "chao keng" or "down-PES" without having an actual medical condition. These guys only worsen the problem.

— 2018 May 3, Benjamin Lim. "To Prevent More Deaths Like Pte Dave Lee’s, Chao Keng Culture Must End", https://sg.style.yahoo.com/prevent-more-deaths-pte-dave-090709699.html

synonyms:

keng
2. (fig.) to shirk responsibility by giving excuses

I'm willing to bet all of us have tried to chao keng our way out of work sometime in the past, myself included.

— 2017 September 19, Samantha Tay. Vulcan Post. Asia One, "If you're too sick for work, this startup lets you get your MC online". (now removed; archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20171027054026/https://www.asiaone.com/business/if-youre-too-sick-work-startup-lets-you-get-your-mc-online.)

synonyms:

keng siam

adjective

1. of malingering; of skiving or shirking responsibility; of being wont to malinger or shirk responsibility

For most NSFs, the reality is that the very nature of military conscription fosters chao keng culture.
Apart from that one "xiao on", hyper-patriotic platoon mate who firmly believes in serving the nation and unconditionally bleeding for the flag, everyone else is wearing the uniform against his will. At some point during NS, we've all slacked a little because there's little point to giving our fullest when we didn't ask to put on the uniform in the first place.

— 2018 May 3, Benjamin Lim. "To Prevent More Deaths Like Pte Dave Lee’s, Chao Keng Culture Must End", https://sg.style.yahoo.com/prevent-more-deaths-pte-dave-090709699.html

synonyms:

keng

antonyms:

on siao on