Growing up in an era of radical terrorism, climate change and perpetual career uncertainty is something that older folks will never understand.

They’ll never know what it’s like to live in a state of abject hopelessness. NOT.

We tend to forget that a whole century ago, our grandparents probably faced life’s many problems as well – war, arranged marriages, disease, poverty, lower life expectancy, and colonial masters who believed they were better than us (that’s you, Raffles!).

Needless to say, while we have “on fleek” and “the struggle is real”, your grandparents probably had some pretty apt phrases to describe the hardships they were going through.

Have a read:

1. Calm your tatas

What it means: An expression used to calm people down

“Calm your tatas. Just because your girlfriend isn’t replying doesn’t mean she’s cheating on you!”

“Performing to elderly in a nursing home really isn’t that scary, calm your tatas and get on with it!”

Close equivalent: Mai4 Ci3 Chor2 Lor3 Keor3

What your grandparents might have said:

“Don’t worry, Ah Seng. The British are super smart. They won’t let Singapore fall so easily. Mai ci chor lor keor!”

“Your shop burnt down? It’s okay. We will rebuild. Mai ci chor lor keor” 

2. Troll

What it means: Person, usually a netizen, who takes pleasure in causing people some form of emotional distress

“Why you go tell Sumiko that she won the Pulitzer Prize when she didn’t? Damn troll sia.”

“This Mothership people are trolls, always write things and act smart only.”

Closest equivalent: Guai4 Lan3 Kia4

What your grandparents might have said:

“Ah boy, when you grow up don’t be a guai lan kia, later people set you on fire.”

3. Resting b***h face

What it means: A face that gives off negative vibes without particular effort

“I’m not unfriendly, it’s just that I have this RBF (resting b***h face) that chases all prospective friends away.”

Closest equivalent: Bin3 Chow4 Chow3 - Hokkien phrase literally meaning “smelly face”

What your grandparents might have said:

“Ah girl, you don’t always bin chow chow. Sometimes must smile a bit.”

“What’s wrong with your father ah? Today bin chow chow one.”

4. Bro

What it means: ‘Bro’, as in ‘brother’, but in practice the term can be used on anyone who’s no more than 10 years older / younger than you are, from your hallmate to your sister’s boyfriend’s pet cactus

“Bro, bro want to help me do charity. Just by a pen okay already.”

“Can cheaper or not bro…”

Closest equivalent: Abang

What your grandparents might have said:

“This guy almost killed me during the 1965 racial riots, but luckily this nice abang appeared to defuse the situation.”

“Abang, don’t like that la...I’ve only parked here for 5 minutes and left just to get extra coupons. Don’t fine me.”

5. The struggle is real

What it is: A phrase to describe the frustrating and seemingly neverending fight to claim dominion over one’s destiny

“I have first class honours but I can’t find a job. The struggle is real.”

“I’ve worked here for so long but my pay hasn’t increased. The struggle is real man.”

“Actually today I want to watch Netflix. But then it rained and the connection poor. The struggle is real.”

Closest equivalent: Jin3 Pai2 Mia3

What your grandparents might have said:

“Worked for 40 years to build this provision shop, but then the fire at Bukit Ho Swee burned all my hard work away. Jin pai mia.”

“Ran away from China to escape the Japanese, but in the end the Japanese also come here. Jin pai mia…”

6. Blue tick / Seen

What it means: To be ignored completely (originates from WhatsApp’s read receipts, also known as “seen” on FB messenger)

“Today is my girlfriend’s birthday but she blue tick me ‘cos we quarrelled over how she can’t decide what she wants to eat.”

“I applied for a job at Google but kena blue tick.”

Closest equivalent: Bo3 Hiu4

What your grandparents might have said:

“My boss at the provision shop asked me to help him some extra work, but I bo hiu him. Maybe that’s why I got retrenched.”

7. Ship

What it means: Short for relationSHIP. To endorse a romantic relationship between two or more persons (but usually two)

“I am so on board the Vithya and Wei Ming ship. They’re such a cute couple.”

“Do you know that it was actually Wendy that shipped Althea and Marc by encouraging them to volunteer together? So sweet right!”

Closest equivalent: Gai4 Xiao3

Your grandparents might say

“Eh, your granddaughter is surfing Facebook? My grandson also surf Facebook leh. Maybe can gai xiao.”

“Wah, that rickshaw rider so sat ki (see 8), can you gai xiao to me or not?”

8. On fleek

What it means: The state of being nigh perfect

“Wow sista your eyebrows on fleek!”

“Look at that little black dress. Her dress sense on fleek tonight sia.”

Closest equivalent: Sat4 Ki3

“Wah that time LKY give speech and scold the communists, so sat ki.”

“How come when the policemen wear tight shorts they look so sat ki, but when I wear I look so buaya.”

9. Bestie / BFF

What it means: A person’s best friend / best friends forever

“Tony and David are BFFs. Some say they even look alike leh!”

“I thought Wei Shan and Kumar were BFFs, but they are actually dating.”

Closest equivalent: Ak4 Kah4 Chiew4 Ji4

Your grandparents might have said:

“He and I ak kah chiew ji, if you let me explain why you stole his girlfriend away, maybe he won’t run you over with his trishaw.”

“That guy and Ahmad ak kah chiew ji, even during the Maria Hertogh riots they met up everyday to play soccer and drink kopi.”

Source: Youth Corps Singapore Instagram

TALK TO YOUR SENIORS

Sadly, too few of us spend time getting to know seniors (and even our own grandparents). We either blame it on the generational gap, or simply think we’re too cool for them.

But deep down, our grandparents/seniors might not be all that different from us. Despite you never knowing them without wrinkles and liver spots, fact is many of them are hip and cool too. They just express their coolness differently.

So the next time you see a senior, remember that they’re more than just white-haired and people you have to give way to on the MRT, and that each of us can take the first step by being more patient and understanding.

After all, for their contributions to Singapore (and for producing our parents), let’s try to make their golden years a little better.

 

Source: Youth Corps Singapore Instagram

Youth Corps Singapore celebrated its Intergenerational Month of October with an exciting lineup of activities bringing young people and seniors together. To volunteer with like-minded friends and for other causes, visit http://bit.do/YCSprogrammes.

This sponsored post fuels Mothership.sg so our writers can go on more family outings and spend quality time with their grandparents.

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