Built Different: 60 Everyday Street Smarts That Make Singaporeans… Singaporean
Our Lion City turns 60 this year—and while we’re celebrating the big milestones and flashy headlines, let’s not forget the little things that make us uniquely Singaporean.
We’re talking about the real skills—like knowing how to 'chope' a hawker table and dumping all sorts of valuables on it, navigating ERP timings with the accuracy of a sniper, and ordering your cai png with precision and no judgement. These aren’t taught in school, but if you grew up here, chances are you’ve unlocked most of them without even realising it.
Here are 60 everyday skills that Singaporeans have silently perfected—because behind every kopi order is a generation fluent in unspoken street smarts.
🍽️ Hawker and food court survival
1. Ordering economic bee hoon in the right sequence
2. Snaking through a hawker centre carrying a tray of hot soup without spilling anything
3. Scouting out the best chicken rice
4. Bringing your own tissue for wet hawker tables
5. Knowing which food stalls are worth the queue
If in doubt when ordering from the 'cai png' stall, just point to the dish you want... | IMAGE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/@ANEESHNL
6. Ordering cai png without holding up the queue
7. Ascertaining which stall is best based on the length of its queue
🚆 Public transport hacks
8. Timing your travel to avoid ERP charges
9. Knowing exactly where MRT doors will open out into an escalator or lift
10. Using bus stop codes to check bus arrivals
IMAGE: FACEBOOK/@SINGAPORE ATRIUM SALE
11. Zigzag walking through crowded MRT stations
12. Entering, and exiting from the least crowded MRT door
13. Navigating Raffles Place MRT station's many exits without the help of signs
14. Sleeping on the bus, only to wake up right in time for your stop
15. Navigating the underground walkways of Orchard
16. Walking through Promenade MRT, City Hall, and Funan without going outside
🪑 Choping and queuing culture
17. 'Choping' a table with tissue or umbrella
18. Joining queues without knowing what it's for (then Googling)
19. Tactically cutting queues at stalls with pre-orders
20. Eyeing a person finishing his or her last bites at a table for a fast 'chope'
21. Leaving a valuable item (like a laptop or phone) to 'chope' but still keeping an eye on it from afar
🛒 Smart shopping and promo skills
22. Using FairPrice app to 'Scan & Go' for a hassle-free shopping experience
IMAGES: SCREENSHOTS FROM SHOPEE (LEFT) AND LAZADA APP
23. Checking vouchers on Shopee and Lazada before any big buy
24. Planning meals based on supermarket promo timings (FairPrice or Don Don Donki late night deals 👀)
25. Maximising credit card cashback promos
26. Getting info about warehouse sales like a veteran
27. Knowing the best way spend CDC vouchers
28. Knowing whether to use GrabPay, Shopback, Favepay, etc for the best deal
🚶 Everyday street smarts
29. Walking under HDB void decks during rain to get to your destination
30. Dodging flyer distributors like a ninja
31. Avoiding bird poop zones near trees
32. Wearing a jacket in 30 degree weather without sweating
IMAGE: SCREENSHOT FROM CAROUSELL APP
33. Selling off your vintage items on Carousell
34. Eating chicken wings with one hand or with chopsticks
35. Avoiding eye contact with insurance agents outside the MRT
36. Running for the bus but making it look natural
37. Returning unopened wet tissue at a restaurant to avoid paying for it
38. Proudly wearing slippers in Orchard
39. Acting like you're too tired to stand for 10 mins on the MRT, yet being able to queue 3 hours for Hello Kitty at McDonald's
40. Knowing exactly when to drive in and out of Woodlands Checkpoint to beat the jam
🗣️ Language and cultural know-how
41. Knowing when to call someone 'aunty' vs “ma'am”
42. Using Singlish to diffuse tension
43. Switching between four languages in one sentence
44. Understanding 'bo jio' etiquette
IMAGE: FACEBOOK/@SINGLISH 101
45. Mastering all lah, lor, leh combinations
46. Explaining Singlish terms to tourists with pride
47. Navigating wedding dinner ang bao rates
48. Differentiating between kopi and teh variations like a barista
49. Recognising Singaporeans overseas before they even open their mouths
50. Complain about everything from the heat to the MRT, but still come to Singapore's defence whenever non-Singaporeans criticise her
51. Saying "see first" or "see how" to avoid overtly rejecting invites
52. Couples turning admin tee and PT shorts into couple outfit
IMAGE: PIONEER
53. (For males) Breaking the ice with complete strangers by talking about National Service
54. Consoling people by saying "shag bro"
55. Becoming an expert in politics every time it's election season
🏠 Housing and estate life
56. Picking the best shaded lots for unsheltered carparks
57. Timing entering the lift alone to avoid neighbour gossip
58. Dodging MP walkabout handshake traps
59. Finding the fastest way through maze-like HDBs
60. Knowing when void deck weddings end (for sleep)
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