Kiasu () is a term derived from the Hokkien “kia” meaning afraid and “su” meaning to lose. 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 Singapore 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.
Etymology and usage
The word is derived from the Hokkien language, with “kia” meaning “fear” and “su” meaning “to lose”. It highlights one’s insistent want to be better than others. The latter four are Singapore’s four official languages. However, the language represents a homogeneous Singaporean way of thinking, rather than a mixture of the various cultures from which the specific languages originate. The word reflects a Singaporean mindset and has become ingrained in Singapore’s national culture.
Kiasu is also similar in etymology to another Singlish term: kiasi which literally translates to “fear of death”. Both terms are used to describe similar attitudes, but have almost opposite uses. Kiasu or kiasuism means taking extreme measures to achieve success, whereas kiasi or kiasiism means to take extreme, risk-avoidant measures.
Academics have identified that kiasuism has two different types of tactics: “kiasu-positive” tactics and “kiasu-negative” tactics. Whether an act of kiasuism involves positive or negative tactics depends on the initial intention, the results of the act, and whether the amount of effort put into the kiasu tactic matches the intended result. Kiasu-positive tactics involve an individual using more effort to attain their goals, with the end reward justifying the means. Kiasu-negative tactics involve an individual gaining an advantage by putting others down, often harming themselves and others, with the end reward not justifying the means.
Kiasu-like traits in other countries
Studies conducted on residents of Australia and the United States have concluded that kiasuism exists outside of Singapore. A study conducted among Australians uncovered a lack of notable distinction between the “kiasu” behaviour in Singaporeans and Australians, meaning that kiasuism is not an exclusively Singaporean trait. The term “Par Chup Sue” () from Hong Kong is a close synonym of kiasu; its literal translation is “scared to lose out”. Since kiasu is derived from a Chinese dialect, it is unsurprising that similar sentiments to kiasu are found in Chinese vocabulary and values. For instance, the Chinese phrase: “Don’t let your kids lose in the beginning” (), has a similar meaning to kiasu.
Internationally, terms like FOMO (fear of missing out) and hyper-competitiveness have been used in similar situations as kiasu. However, both terms are not direct synonyms. While both FOMO and kiasuism possess the compulsive want to be connected with others, FOMO lacks the competitive element of kiasuism. Hyper-competitiveness does share its competitive element with kiasu. However, hyper-competitiveness and FOMO are better defined as unintentionally “maladaptive” and hard to control while kiasuism is a controllable and intentional tactic to get above. A closer English synonym to kiasu is the idiom “keeping up with the Joneses”. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines this term as a person showing that they are "as good as other people by getting what they have and doing what they do”. However, this term differs from kiasu in terms of compulsivity. The lack of close synonyms to kiasu outside of Chinese values and vocabulary can be attributed to Singapore being more attentive to kiasu tactics compared to other countries.
History
According to Annetta Ayyavoo and Brendan Tennakoon, the emergence of kiasu behaviour among Singaporeans is likely due to the country being an immigrant nation. Since immigrants typically lacked education and were of lower social classes, they had to be overtly competitive to earn a sufficient living.
The word “kiasu” first emerged in the 1980s in its original form: “kian su”, and was used among men completing their compulsory national service. This speech marked the first time the word “kiasu” was used in a parliamentary setting.
Rather than purely viewing kiasuism as a negative behaviour, Singaporeans have begun to embrace kiasuism as part of their national identity. For example, in 2017, the supermarket chain Giant, sent out an online quiz to find out which town in Singapore was the most kiasu. The quiz received 57,000 entries, with Tampines winning the competition. As a prize, Giant gave away free goods such as Milo and canned drinks to Tampines residents.
Kiasu also reached prominence in its international status when it entered the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in March 2007. In 2015, kiasu was OED’s Word of the Day.
Queuing culture
Kiasuism also plays a primary role in Singapore’s queueing culture. A notable example of this queuing culture is seen from the “Hello Kitty fever” in 2019. When McDonald’s launched a limited edition carrier Hello Kitty, a famous Japanese fictional character, Singaporeans began to queue hours before the launch to be one of the first to get a carrier. To get around the limit of two carriers per transaction, some Singaporeans joined the queue a second time to purchase more of the good. According to interviews by The New Paper, customers revealed that they were unsure of what to do with the carrier after their purchase. Others were selling the carriers for more than five times the original price on Carousell, an online community marketplace. Queuing culture highlights how kiasuism, particularly kiasu-negative tactics, has become a cultural norm in Singapore. An individual would get into a random queue they notice because the kiasu mindset ingrained within Singaporeans will convince them that the queue is for something valuable. Kiasuism makes people idly stand in lines just because they want to fit into the status quo and not lose out in what they perceive as an opportunity. The book series followed the lead character, Mr. Kiasu, who was known for showcasing extreme kiasu tactics. Singaporeans were able to relate to the character because he was able to well-encompass the kiasu characteristic that many of them possessed, even if the character's kiasu tactics were exaggerated. Following the character’s quick success, McDonald’s worked with Lau to produce and promote the “kiasu burger” for a limited time in 1993, successfully selling 1.2 million burgers.