kao peh kao bu

Singapore[ˈkʰaʊ˦˨ ˌp˭eː˨ ˈkʰaʊ˦˨ ˌbuː˦˨]

verb

To make a fuss, to complain or whine excessively, to complain to high heaven.

OriginHokkien 哭爸哭母 →
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Meanings

verbkao peh kao bu (invariable)

alternative kao pei kao bu · alternative kpkb · alternative KPKB

  1. MalaysiaSingaporeSinglishidiomaticinformalintransitiveinvariableTo make a fuss, to complain or whine excessively, to complain to high heaven.

    Singaporeans genuine complains were brush aside as irrelevant KPKB.

    2011, truth, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet)
    1 more example

    Opposition sure bring up the matter In Parliament. They will kao peh kao bu Ask why government agency Not doing their work properly Make the minister malu.

    2012, Alfian Sa'at, “All You Young People Will Take Over: Branson, Chinese, taxi driver, 40’s”, in Cooling Off Day, Singapore: Ethos Books

Origin

  1. Hokkien哭爸哭母“to complain to high heaven”
  2. Englishkao peh kao bu

From Hokkien 哭爸哭母 (khàu-pē-khàu-bú, “to complain to high heaven”, literally “to quarrel with one’s parents; to weep for one’s father and mother”).

More words from Hokkien

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

kao peh kao bu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kao%20peh%20kao%20bu

MLA

“kao peh kao bu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kao%20peh%20kao%20bu. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kao peh kao bu,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kao%20peh%20kao%20bu.

Source: kao peh kao bu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.