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:

kiaps

kiap

Min nan:

poj:

kiap

expand for details Detailed etymology

definitions

noun

  1. tongs; tweezers; any other tong-like tool used to grip or clamp objects
  2. a clip or clamp, such as that used to seal a bag of food

verb

  1. to hold by pinching or squeezing between two opposable elements, such as tongs, chopsticks, or fingers
  2. ... what better way to flaunt your command of the force than wielding a pair of these glowing LED chopsticks? ... Now you can slay the competition to kiap the plumpest piece of chicken on the dining table — almost as satisfying in our opinion.

    — 2019 December 19, Joelynn. Mustsharenews, "These Glowing Lightsaber Chopsticks Will Help You Kiap Your CNY Hotpot Liao With Extra Force". https://mustsharenews.com/lightsaber-chopsticks/

    Does anybody have some kind of kiapping tools that u can use to perhaps kiap a thumbrive or even coins out from [...] some hard to access corner like below the bed, under the cupboard/sofa etc...

    — 2021 September 23, Retroactive. Hardwarezone, "Does anybody have some kind of kiapping tools that u can use to perhaps kiap a thumbrive or even coins out from...". https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/does-anybody-have-some-kind-of-kiapping-tools-that-u-can-use-to-perhaps-kiap-a-thumbrive-or-even-coins-out-from.6605662/

    synonyms:

  3. to clip or clamp with a clip, clamp, peg, etc.
  4. synonyms:


interjection

  1. (onomatopoeic) a clacking or snapping sound made by bringing the two opposable elements of such a tool together
  2. synonyms:


usage notes

The noun is often referred to in the plural as 'kiaps', in the same vein as related English terms such as tongs, tweezers, pincers, or forceps.