Kiasu

Kiasu (simplified Chinese: 惊输; traditional Chinese: 驚輸; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kiaⁿ-su) is a term derived from the Hokkien “kia” meaning afraid and “su” meaning to lose. It is commonly defined as “the fear of losing,” and is directed at a person who behaves competitively to either attain their goal or to get ahead of others. The term has been part of the Singlish (formally known as Colloquial Singaporean English) lexicon spoken in Singapore since the 1980s.

Since then, Kiasuism has settled into Malaysia society and has become part of the cultural norms such as within the local education system or the queuing culture. Nevertheless, Kiasuism still exists in other countries, which have their own variation of the word. Acts of Kiasuism can be either positive or negative depending on the intent of the person committing the act and on the act's end result. Kiasuism has had a notable history since its move away from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) army barracks to the streets of Singapore, from the emergence of Mr. Kiasu to government attempts to curb Kiasuism.

Others have considered Kiasuism as something positive and beneficial. Among others, factors include the mentality to drive many Singaporeans to work harder and strive for success, which helped the country to become one of the most prosperous and competitive countries in the world. This mindset has also fostered a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, encourage people to be prepared for any situation, and promote a culture of safety and risk management. This has led many Singaporeans to be careful and cautious, which has helped to improve overall safety in the country.