U - Z

ULU
Malay term used to denote the remoteness of a place, with connotations of backwardness.
"Why you take me to Kranji this sort of ulu place?"

UDDERWISE/UNGDERWISE
Singlish pronunciations of "otherwise".

UNTAHANTABLE (contributed by Wayne Jamiro & Petrina)
Unbearable. Derived from the Malay word 'tahan' meaning to 'endure' or 'bear'.
"Adoi, the weather nowadays so damn hot, it's bloody untahantable, man."
See also: Buay Tahan

UP THE LORRY (contributed by Andrew Chua)
A phrase to describe a very bad outcome. Derived from the scene at funerals where the coffin is being placed onto the lorry to be transported to the burial grounds. Also possible to be used in the case of a gang fight scene when the leader shouts to the members to retreat.
1. "Today got test, you nebber stardee, ah? Like that, up the lorry lor!
2. "Mata lai liao, kin, ki chia!" (Here come the police! Up the lorry!)

VERY THE
Singlish phrase meaning, inexplicably,'very'. Usually employed with a clearly sarcastic tone.
1. "Wah lau eh, he ah, his armpit very the smelly, you know!"
2. "Piang eh, your skirt very the short, hor?"
See also: A Bit The

VERY WHAT ONE (contributed by Bernard Quek)
A phrase used to describe a quality so inexplicably irritating about something or someone.
"She, hor, very what one, you know?"

VOMIT BLOOD (contributed by Edward Tew)
Literal translation from the Hokkien phrase "tor hwee", which is used to describe undergoing extreme difficulty, intense suffering or great irritation. "Vomit" is often pronounced "womit".
Ah Beng: "Yesterday, hor, I teach my son Maths, teach until vomit blood."
See also: Tor Hwee

WAH LAN/Wah Lan Eh/Lan Eh (wah lahn)
Hokkien term which can be loosely translated as "Oh Penis". Probably the most common Singlish expression of all, it is used in much the same way as "oh my goodness", "wow", or "damn!", depending on the tone used, and the context. More polite variants include "Wah Lau" and "Wah Piang".
1. "Wah Lan Eh! How can you do this sort of thing to me?"
2. "My first thought when I saw her was 'wah lan eh'."
See also: Wah Lau; Wah Piang.

WAH LAU
The most common polite variation of "Wah Lan".
See: Wah Lan.

WAH PIANG/PIANG
See: Wah Lan.

WAIT LONG-LONG (contributed by Chan Kok Hoe)
The anglicized version of the Hokkien phrase "Tan Ku Ku", which means "forget it" or "it'll never happen".
"You want raise from this boss? Wait long-long ah!"
See: Tan Ku Ku

WAYANG
Originally a Malay word meaning "theatre performance", it now means an act of pretence.
"Eh, we all saw you take his wallet. Don't come and wayang, okay?"
See also: Act Blur.

WEN
One of the more curious Singlish expressions, it is actually a mispronunciation of “won’t”, and is invariably followed by “one” or “lah”. It is used to express an opinion that something is unlikely to occur.
1. Johnny: “You think Ah Beng will pass his O levels?”
Ah Seng: “Wen, lah.”
2. “I know he said he would lend you his car, but I bet he wen one.”

WHACK
To approach something carelessly or eat something with relish.
1. “Eh, the seafood buffet here is quite solid. Whack all the prawns, man!”
2. "This is a serious job, okay, you cannot anyhow whack."

WHAT (contributed by Daniel Hong)
Yet another Singlish sentence tag, this is often used by people who are in defensive situations.
Ah Beng: "How come you borrow my shirt now got hole one?!"
Ah Seng: "Borrow that time orredy like dat whaaaat!"
Ah Beng: "Then why you nebber say first?"
Ah Seng: "You nebber ask, whaaaat!"

WHAT DONE?
Eternal question asked by waiters and waitresses at local restaurants when someone orders a steak.
Ah Beng: "I want a sirloin steak."
Waitress: "What done you want? Lare? Menium? Weww done?"

WHAT FOR TU DONNO
An expression of bewilderment at another's actions.
"Ah Beng went to buy that condemn tech stock? What for tu donno!"

WHAT-SQUAT (contributed by Edwin)
If someone asks you, "What?" in what you perceive to be a rude manner, it is customary to respond with "Squat!" This exchange was popular in the 1970s but is now rare. The full exchange is as follows:
Tan: " Ah Lim ah!!"
Lim (irritated): WHAT!!!!
Tan: SQUAT!!
Lim: I berak, you angkat! ("I shit, you carry!")
Tan: I kencing you minum! ("I piss, you drink!")

WHAT TOKKING YOU? (contributed by Daniel Hong)
Singlish for "What are you talking about?", it is a statement of incredulity or disbelief.
"Eh, Ah Beng where can pass 'A' Maths? What tokking you?"

WHERE GOT
Pithy term expressing disbelief or sometimes, outrage.
1. Beng: "Seng, you took my wallet, right?"
Seng: "Where got?"
2. "He accused me of stealing his wallet. I ask you, where got like that?"
3. "A young man dying while in the prime of his life… Where got meaning?"

WIN LIAO/WIN OREDDY (contributed by Stella and Daniel Hong)
From the Hokkien exclamation "Ngiah liao lor!", it marks the surrender of an argument or expression of unfairness, with somewhat grudgingly friendly, yet ironic tone.
1. "Wah, you win liao, lor! Ask me help you do so many things!"
2. Ah Beng: "I insist I am right!"
Ah Seng: "Yah lah, yah lah, you win liao lah!"
3. Boss: "I'm going on off tomorrow, so I need you to type up all these documents."
Secretary: "Like that win orredy lor."

WORRAGE
The proper pronunciation of "worried".
"Eh, you whole week go where, ah? I at home very worrage one, you know!"

WORTH/WURF (contributed by Char Kuey Teow)
Singlish abbreviation of "worth it", it is properly pronounced "wurf".
1. "Wah, $100 for this kind of thing is very wurf what!"
2. "They want to pay you in SingTel shares? Damn not wurf, man."

YA YA
Arrogant
"Don't be so ya ya, I warn you."
See also: Dao; Ya Ya Papaya.

YA YA PAPAYA
An arrogant person
"Johnny is such a ya ya papaya."

YAH LAH!
"I know!" Usually repeated for emphasis.
Beng: "Eh, don’ch angry leh, just kidding what!"
Seng: "Yah lah, yah lah, OK lah!"

YAN DAO (contributed by Bernard Quek)
A handsome male.
Mr Shitface: I am so yan dao!
Mrs Shitface: Yah, right!

YANG-OR (contributed by Feng)
Corruption of the Malay word "sayang", meaning "love" or "darling".
"I wan' a yang-or," said Ah Lian, pouting

YAT KEOK TEK (yaht kyok tek)
Cantonese term literally meaning "to kick with one leg". Can be used to describe a job where one has to do everything; can also refer to a jack of all trades, but not usually by choice.
"This is a small startup, everyone must yat keok tek one."

YAU KWEE
Hokkien term literally meaning “hungry ghost”. It describes a glutton or avaricious person.
“Eh, don’t take all the prawns from the buffet, leh! Why you so yau kwee?”

YOUR HEAD (contributed by Daniel Hong)
Mild curse used to disabuse someone of his or her erroneous assumption.
1. Ah Beng: "You sure fail the test!"
Ah Seng: "Your head, l ah!"
2. "She? Win Miss Universe? Your head, lah!"