View source for Ah Beng

{{short description|Term for anti-social youth in Singapore}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Italic title}}{{Infobox Chinese
| title      = Ah Beng
| c          = 阿明
| p          = Ā míng
| poj        = A-bêng
| hanlo      = 
| tl         = A-bîng
| bp         = 
| hokkienipa =
| context    = 
| image      = 
| caption    = 
}}

'''''Ah Beng''''' ({{zh|c=阿明|link=no}}) 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''''' ({{zh|s=阿莲|t=阿蓮|poj=a-liân}}).<ref name="BHC">Beng Huat Chua (2003) ''Life is not complete without shopping for bimbo products: consumption culture in Singapore'', [[NUS Press|Singapore University Press]] of the [[National University of Singapore]]</ref>

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 [[bimbo]]s, and are [[stereotype]]d as [[Anti-intellectualism|anti-intellectual]], [[superficiality|superficial]], [[economic materialism|materialistic]], and [[wikt:shallow|shallow]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Here’s the reason why an Ah Lian is called an Ah Lian |url=https://goodyfeed.com/heres-the-reason-why-an-ah-lian-is-called-an-ah-lian/ |website=Goody Feed |access-date=9 March 2022 |date=17 September 2015}}</ref>

The equivalent of an Ah Beng in other English-speaking countries is often said to be Australia's [[bogan]]s, the United States' [[redneck]]s and Britain's [[chav]]s.

==Etymology==
Ah Beng comes from the romanisation of the [[Hokkien]] pronunciation of {{zhi|c=阿明}} ({{zh|poj=a-bêng}}). The character "明" ({{zh|p=míng|poj=bêng}}) is commonly used in the names of ethnic Chinese males in the region; the term "Ah Beng" alludes to their commonness. (The term is therefore semantically somewhat equivalent to the American expression "Regular Joe", though the social connotations differ.)

Among Cantonese speakers, Ah Beng is also known as ''lala zai'' ({{zhi|c=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 Malaysian English or "pure" Singlish and who possess a strong preference for gaudy fashions or hairstyles.

== In popular culture ==
Ah Bengs have been featured in several Singaporean films, including:
* ''[[Army Daze]]'' (1996) - Actor Adrain Lim acted as Recruit Ah Beng Teoh who has a severe dislike of having to serve National Service and is only doing it for the allowance. A recurring joke about Ah Beng is that everyone keeps telling him speak Mandarin when he speaks in Hokkien.
*''[[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.<ref>Tan Dawn Wei, "Ah Beng Rulz Liao", ''[[Straits Times|The Straits Times]]'' (2 August 2006).</ref>

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.<ref>Mak Mun San, "I'm a Paid Extrovert", ''[[Straits Times|The Straits Times]]'' (28 August 2006).</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Singapore|Society}}
*[[NEET]]

===In other countries===
{{columns-list|colwidth=18em|
* [[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)]]
* {{ill|Racaille (pejorative)|lt=Racaille|fr|Racaille}} (France)
* [[Raggare]] (Sweden/Norway)
* [[Redneck]] (United States)
* [[Skanger]] (Ireland)
* [[Skeet (Newfoundland)|Skeet]] (Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada)
* [[Tapori (word)|Tapori]] / [[Mawali]] (India)
* [[Trẻ trâu]] (Vietnam)
* [[Yankī]] (Japan)
* [[Yob (slang)]] (United Kingdom and others)
* [[Zef]] (South Africa)

}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*Wong Kim Hoh, "Who Says Ah Bengs Cannot Make It?", ''[[Straits Times|The Straits Times]]'' (2 April 2006)
*Samuel Lee, "Hitting the Right Notes", ''[[Straits Times|The Straits Times]]'' (21 April 2006)

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100202075747/http://kunkun.tripod.com/ahbeng2.htm Ah Beng and Ah Lian]

{{Ethnic slurs}}

[[Category:Singlish]]
[[Category:Southern Min words and phrases]]
[[Category:Culture of Singapore]]
[[Category:Class-related slurs]]
[[Category:Social class subcultures]]
[[Category:Socioeconomic stereotypes]]