Ah Beng
| Ah Beng | |||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 阿明 | ||||||||||||
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Ah Beng (Chinese: 阿明) is a pejorative term applied to describe an anti-social lower-class youth in Malaysia and Singapore who displays common characteristics such as having dyed hair, wearing loud fashion, playing loud music in public and being less educated. The female equivalent of an Ah Beng is an Ah Lian (simplified Chinese: 阿莲; traditional Chinese: 阿蓮; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: a-liân).[1]
A stereotypical Ah Beng would be someone who is not highly educated, is loud and unsophisticated, and operates within secret societies and street gangs. Ah Lians, on the other hand, are regarded as bimbos, and are stereotyped as anti-intellectual, superficial, materialistic, and shallow.[2]
The equivalent of an Ah Beng in other English-speaking countries is often attributed to Australia's bogans, the United States' rednecks and Britain's chavs.
Etymology[edit]
Ah Beng comes from the romanisation of the Hokkien pronunciation of 阿明 (Pe̍h-ōe-jī: a-bêng). The character "明" (pinyin: míng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bêng) is commonly used in the names of ethnic Chinese males in the region; the term "Ah Beng" alludes to their commonness.
Among Cantonese speakers, Ah Beng is also known as lala zai (啦啦仔). "Lala" has no actual meaning in itself, although it may have originated from the Singlish word "la"/"lah", while "zai" means "boy." "Lala zai" refers to individuals who speak in "pure" Singlish and who possess a strong preference for gaudy fashions or hairstyles.
In popular culture[edit]
Ah Bengs have been featured in several Singaporean films, including:
- Money No Enough (1998) - A film about three close and best friends who start a car polishing business together to resolve their financial problems.
- S11 (2006) — A film about three Singaporeans whose lives coincide.[3]
The stereotypical Ah Beng was the title character Phua Chu Kang in the popular Singaporean local sitcom Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, portrayed by Gurmit Singh. In the show, Chu Kang's brother, Phua Chu Beng, is nicknamed Ah Beng, despite being an articulate, educated architect, the complete antithesis of an Ah Beng.[4]
See also[edit]
In other countries[edit]
- Alay (Indonesia)
- Ars (slang) (Israel)
- Bogan (Australia/NZ)
- Bōsōzoku (Japan)
- Cañí (Spain), a slur against Romani people
- Chav (United Kingdom)
- Cholo (Mexico)
- Dizelaši (Serbia)
- Dresiarz (Poland)
- Eshay (Australia)
- Flaite (Chile)
- Gabber / tokkie (Netherlands)
- Gopnik (Soviet Union/Russia)
- Hoser (Canada)
- Jejemon (Philippines)
- Kazan phenomenon
- Malandro (Brazil)
- Mat Rempit (Malaysia)
- Ned (Scottish)
- Racaille (France)
- Raggare (Sweden/Norway)
- Redneck (United States)
- Skanger (Ireland)
- Skeet (Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada)
- Tapori / Mawali (India)
- Yankī (Japan)
- Yob (slang) (United Kingdom and others)
- Zef (South Africa)
Notes[edit]
- ^ Beng Huat Chua (2003) Life is not complete without shopping for bimbo products: consumption culture in Singapore, Singapore University Press of the National University of Singapore
- ^ "Here's the reason why an Ah Lian is called an Ah Lian". Goody Feed. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
- ^ Tan Dawn Wei, "Ah Beng Rulz Liao", The Straits Times (2 August 2006).
- ^ Mak Mun San, "I'm a Paid Extrovert", The Straits Times (28 August 2006).
References[edit]
- Wong Kim Hoh, "Who Says Ah Bengs Cannot Make It?", The Straits Times (2 April 2006)
- Samuel Lee, "Hitting the Right Notes", The Straits Times (21 April 2006)
- from the Coxford Singlish Dictionary
- from A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English