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:
tan kuku
tan ku ku
→
Hokkien:
等久久
poj:
tán-kú-kú
Detailed etymology
definitions
expression
- used to express that something has a very low chance of happening, and that hoping upon it is a futile endeavour; 'in your dreams'; 'not in a million years'
"I was told, 'Why you so stupid? If Singapore wants your son to swim for them, they should pay.' I said, 'Tan ku ku' ... That's why I keep telling everybody, if you feel your son or daughter has it, it's up to you whether you want to support them. If you're going to wait for people, don't do it, okay?"
— 2022 August 31, Sumiko Tan (quoting May Schooling). The Straits Times, "Lunch With Sumiko: May Schooling, Singapore's most famous mum". https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lunch-with-sumiko-singapores-most-famous-mum
synonyms:
verb
- to wait a very long time for something, often in vain
I think they will never release the sequel lah... I also tan ku ku until tak boleh tahan liao.
synonyms: