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.

also can:

chili

chilli

/ˈt͡ʃɪli/

→

English:

chilli

expand for details Detailed etymology

definitions

noun

  1. any sauce or condiment prepared using chilli peppers as the main ingredient, typically combined with other spices and aromatic ingredients such as garlic, lime juice, ginger, prawns, soya sauce, fish sauce, etc.

    2. The chilli had a decent amount of garlic, but I found it too watery for my liking. It also didn’t pack much of a punch.

    — 2024 February 11, Clare Lin (for SethLui.com). Yahoo! News, "Ming Kee Chicken Rice: Chilled chicken rice at one of SG’s oldest CR stalls in Bishan". https://sg.news.yahoo.com/style/ming-kee-chicken-rice-chilled-100000041.html

  2. the edible fruit of a plant in the genus Capsicum. Only refers to those that are pungent (spicy), as opposed to non-spicy members such as capsicums.

    3. I always ask for green chilli with my beef hor fun, as its tangy, sour, spicy flavour cuts pleasantly through the otherwise starchy dish.


adjective

  1. (used in compounds) made with or featuring chilli or chilli sauce

    2. Loved by locals and international visitors alike, chilli crab is an iconic Singaporean dish that hits the spot every time. The spicy, starchy, savoury and eggy dish was first created in the 1950s by Cher Yam Tian, who made a stir-fried crab dish with bottled chilli sauce instead of tomato ketchup – a popular delicacy at that time.

    — 2023 August 16, Dawson Tan & Pailin Boonlong. Time Out, "The best chilli crab in Singapore", https://www.timeout.com/singapore/restaurants/best-chilli-crab-singapore


usage notes

Unlike in English, 'chilli' is always used unqualified to refer to any of the various sauces, dips, or condiments made using mainly chilli peppers.


related:

chilli padi cincaluk kuah sambal capsicum chilli crab sambal belacan keropok

categories:

cuisine nature

entries starting with

'chilli'