liao
English
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editBorrowed from Hokkien 了 (liáu) or Teochew 了 (liao2). Tone and spelling influenced by Mandarin liǎo.
Pronunciation
edit- (Singapore) IPA(key): [ljaʊ˨˩], (interrogative) [ljaʊ˨]
Particle
editliao
- (Singlish, Manglish) Indicates perfective aspect (action completion) or change of state.
- Synonym: (Singlish, via semantic loan) already
- I run 4 laps liao. ― I just ran 4 laps.
- It’s going to rain liao. ― It’s going to start raining soon.
- Reach liao, give me a call. ― Give me a call when you’ve reached.
- You decorate the cake liao? ― Have you decorated the cake yet?
- Damn shack liao, need to go back and sleep. ― I’m really tired now, I need to go back and sleep.
Related terms
editSee also
edit- bo liao (unrelated etymologically)
- (Singlish particles): ah, hor, know, lah, leh, lor, mah, meh, one, sia, what
Anagrams
editMandarin
editRomanization
editliao
- Nonstandard spelling of liāo.
- Nonstandard spelling of liáo.
- Nonstandard spelling of liǎo.
- Nonstandard spelling of liào.
Usage notes
edit- Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.