Kiasu

Kiasu is a Hokkien (a Chinese spoken variant) word for 'extreme fear of losing'. This word is so widely used by Malaysians and Singaporeans that it is incorporated into their English vocabulary. It is often used in describing the social attitudes of people, especially about Asian society and its values. Its widespread use is often due to the fact that these attitudes are common - not to lose out in a highly competitive society, for example, to the extent of parents imposing heavy study labour on their children in their wish to make them at the very top of all other students. Such an attitude is often highly competitive, and its emphasis is to be above all other people, even if it means putting other people down.

 

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