# kiasi

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˌkjɑːˈsiː/

## Definitions
1. Unwilling to take a risk for fear that something bad or unfavorable will happen; cowardly, overly cautious and risk-averse.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Hokkien 驚死／惊死 (kiaⁿ-sí, “afraid to die”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/kiasi