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Ah Lian, from Chinese: "阿莲"; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: a-lián, is a pejorative term applied to a certain group of ethnic Chinese girls in Southeast Asia, especially Singapore and Malaysia.[1] These Chinese girls, in their teens and twenties, are usually found in larger cities in the region. In Singapore, they usually hang out in Bugis Junction, Bugis Street, or outside Cineleisure, for example. In Malaysia, they are usually found around Midvalley, Sungai Wang Plaza, Low Yat Plaza, Berjaya Times Square, SS2 and are regarded as bimbos, and are stereotyped as anti-intellectual, superficial, materialistic, and shallow.
Ah Lians are commonly stereotyped as having hair dyed in bright colours, and wearing outdated Japanese fashion, although how much of this is true is debatable. Most of them also like to wear hot pants or mini skirts. Most Ah Lians have straightened long hair, usually with thick fringes. They like walking in big groups where most of the people in the group are Ah Lians or Ah Bengs and make their presence known by talking loudly.
They enjoy taking self- portraits of themselves and usually imitate the way Japanese girls take their pictures, making their eyes look big and puffing out their cheeks. They also take pictures by putting a horizontal 'Peace sign' over their eyes, pressing a fist facing outwards against their puffed cheek. They also apply a very sharp tone in their speech which they classify as "cute". Another distinct feature of an Ah Lian is they swear in most of their conversations similarly to their male counterparts, Ah Bengs. Ah Lians are stereotyped as very loose sexually.
Ah Lians commonly speak a kind of hybrid mix of Singlish or Manglish and Chinese, or Chinese-related dialects. It is also common for the grammar from these dialects to cross over to English usage, creating English phrases with Chinese grammar.
The term "Lao Lian" is sometimes applied to older women ("lao" means old in Chinese) who exhibit similar characteristics as Ah Lians.
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Ah Beng
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ah Beng, from Chinese: 阿明; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: a-bêng or a-bîng, is a stereotype applied to a certain group of young Chinese men in Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia. The stereotypical view of an Ah Beng is a young Chinese man or teenager who lacks cultural refinement or indulges in criminal activity or is involved in brawls or arguments out of disagreements with other people. Ah Bengs are also sometimes associated with extensively-modified or zhng-ed cars,[1] and are stereotypically seen as excessively flashy and show-offish. Ah Bengs are often stereotyped as trying to emulate Japanese street fashion.
In Malaysia, the term 'Ah Beng' usually refers to males who have unusual styles and tastes. And the term 'lala-zai' refers to males involved in stereotypical gangster activity or fashion such as the dyeing of hair.
In Singapore, the term 'Ah Beng' is normally used describe gangster wannabes who cannot speak fluent English and have very low education. They commonly speak in Mandarin or Hokkien.
The female equivalent of an 'Ah Beng' is an Ah Lian.
Characteristics
Ah Bengs are stereotypically Chinese men in their early teens to late 20s, seen hanging out in groups and typically speaking in local slang, which is Hokkien or Cantonese mixed with English and Malay, such as Manglish or Singlish. Their English level is limited to simple English words with incorrect grammar. When having a conversation, Ah Bengs like to curse in their daily speech.
Ah Bengs' fashion has several stereotypes. One stereotype perceives Ah Bengs wearing flamboyant shirts, for example, with colorful decorations - especially dragons, tight jeans and always carrying plastic combs. Another stereotype perceives Ah Bengs trying to follow Japanese fashion in a wrong way, with spiked and dyed hair, metallic ornaments, leather jackets, belts and pants. They are usually very stingy in buying clothes too. Ah Bengs' almost always wear skinny jeans, ranging in color from black to purple to fluorescent pink, with the thinner ones sometimes wearing women's jeans. They also often dye their hair yellow, or sometimes orange, and use gel to make it stand up.
Ah Bengs are normally found gathering in the busier areas of towns, such as shopping malls, and especially on weekends and holidays. Ah Bengs are typically stereotyped as coming from lower class to families, even though they are sometimes rich, as the rich ones usually come from loan shark or otherwise gangster families.
Recently, Ah Bengs in Singapore found a new type of fashion. They often go around in tight tops (usually black, otherwise striped), shorts, colorful flip-flops with several piercings all over their head.
[edit] Etymology
LOL, even wiki has it for ah beng and ah lians
This post has been edited by deejay_krish: Mar 31 2012, 07:14 PM