lau kui

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Hokkien 落氣／落气 (làu-khùi, “to lose face”).

Pronunciation

• (Singapore) IPA^(key): [ˈlaʊ˦˨ ˌkʰui˩]

Adjective

lau kui (comparative more lau kui, superlative most lau kui)

1. (colloquial, Singapore) Embarrassing, shameful
   • 2004, Bukit Ho Sweerean, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):

     You think you are going for a vacation izzit? No wonder our athletes thought like this and we lost miserably. So lau kui.

See also

• sia suay