In 2011, Malaysia’s film industry welcomed Syamsul Yusof’s KL Gangster, a different genre from other movie releases that year. It was a phenomenal hit with RM11.74 million, another box office movie after Osman Ali’s Ombak Rindu aired in the same year.
Then, KL Gangster has become a trilogy encompassing KL Gangster (2011) and KL Gangster 2 (2013). Undoubtedly, these movies are loved by many and were all box-office hits, respectively!
Iconic characters like Malik, Shark, Jai, Ajib and Fadhil were born from this successful movie. Especially Shark, his lines left a mark on many movie enjoyers and are still remembered today!
But, since Shark speaks Cantonese, not many are aware of its meaning. Interestingly, the main character, Malik also spotted using Hokkien when talking to Shark!
Therefore, TikToker Low Sok Ying uploaded a video that explains some of the phrases Shark and Malik used in the movie.
Let’s learn together!
@lowsokying Replying to @kechikelmo Lei sao dou mou? 👌 #klgangster ♬ original sound – Low Sok Ying
‘Lei Sao Dou Mou’
According to Low, Lei Sao Dou Mou means lu roger tak? or are you on with it?
If you ‘roger’, the reply should be Sao Dou.
Now, if your friends invite you over to have some fun, you can say Sao Dou to them!
‘Lansi’
Low states that many Malaysians misspelled this word. It should be ‘Lansi‘ and not ‘Langsi‘!
Lansi means arrogant, cocky or overconfident.
Now we know why Shark said that to anyone that came to his territory!
‘Kao Peh Kao Bu’
This one’s a bit hard to translate as it’s almost like an idiom. In Malay, it’s translated as ‘menangis bapa, menangis emak‘. If in English, the closest meaning to this phrase is a person that loves complaining.
‘Si Beh Guai Lan’
Low says that Hokkien tends to be a bit ‘rough’.
This is one of the phrases that she didn’t state the meaning of, but you can guess that it’s not a nice term to use.
Low simplifies that this phrase is used for anyone that doesn’t like cooperating and working in teams. Be careful, though! Once you’ve said this, you might get a black eye.
Now you know the meaning behind Shark and Malik’s iconic lines. But use them wisely! You don’t want to fight a mob of gangsters for using the wrong word!
Sources: TikTok Low Sok Ying, Youtube Skop Productions, Youtube Tarantella Pictures