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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


109 results found

binder

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that is used instead of the Cantonese equivalent '大文件夾' to refer to a large-sized folder for keeping documents. Usage: E.g. 如果folder唔夠大,搵個binder再放哂D文件入去。

gym

Definition: Often used as 'doing the gym' (做gym) in Cantonese, this refers to doing exercise in the gym.  Sometimes, it is used as 'gym room', which people may mistaken as '健身室室'. Usage: E.g. 一唔一齊去做gym呀? E.g. 我仲喺gym room呀,遲D再call你啦。

loop

Definition: A code-mixing term meaning to replay or do something over and over again. (verb) Usage: E.g. 喂,就算首歌好正都唔洗狂loop嘛? E.g. 知道你大學畢業英文勁喇。唔洗成日loop比我聽嘛?

m

Definition: A euphemistic code-mixing term that refers to 'menstruation' in English.  However, it is also used as 'M記' to refer to McDonald\'s. Usage: E.g. 唔好話我聽兒家先黎M麻? E.g. 今次真係M到阿媽都唔認得喇!E.g. 今日又食M記?唔好喇掛!

movie

Definition: Classified as 'JM tone', this is a code-mixing style adopted by Hong Kong celebrity Janice Man to represent the upper class.  (Notice that the letter m is a voiced consonant in this word and should be emphasized for extremely proper pronunciation.) Usage: E.g. 我週末得閒既時候會同朋友去睇mmmovie。

Thats why

Definition: A fancy way of saying 'so' or 'therefore' in Cantonese and to tone down the causal relationship between two items. Usage: E.g. 係喇,你都冇同我講。That’s why我今次冇預到你份。 E.g. 你都冇比錢我。That's why我冇幫你買戲飛。

sup

Definition: A salutation often used by real ABC Hong Kongers to ask how somebody is doing. However, it is often overused by Fake ABC's to strike a western impression on others. (Also used as "what's up") Usage: E.g. 喂,sup man? E.g. 偽ABC:Sup man, sup, sup, sup...人們:得喇。唔好成日唔係又sup又喺到sup啦。好煩呀。

somehow

Definition: A way to avoid losing face or embarassment when you do not know how to answer the boss's question. However, it can be considered unprofessional if used too much at a workplace. Usage: E.g. 你:我搵過好多次,但係somehow條數搵唔到。老細:哦,係呀?(你:我搵過好多次,但係唔知點解條數搵唔到。老細:咁實有原因架喎?) E.g. 你:個printer somehow壞左呀。老細:哦。(你:個printer唔知點解壞左呀。老細:我唔想聽到唔知點解!)

point

Definition: A more polite way to refer to a person's standpoint, as the Cantonese equivalent term '點', meaning a dot, can refer to a woman's breast. Usage: E.g. 男人:喂,我真係好唔明你個point喎!女人:唔緊要。我慢慢解釋比你聽。 E.g. 男人:喂,我真係好唔明你個點喎!女人:你話我邊點呀?唔好性騷擾喎!Reference: https://medium.com/@girlslearnenglish/你說話會中英夾雜嗎-被-污名化-的中英夾雜-why-code-mixing-is-totally-fine-32eb1f280ca

mind

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kongers to soften the tone when requesting for something, especially when the speaker does not want to be rejected. Usage: E.g. 你:mind唔mind我跟返呢個客? 同事:唔mind。 (你:介唔介意我跟返呢個客? 同事:介意。) E.g. 你:mind唔mind我坐喺到? 陌生人:唔mind。(你:介唔介意我坐喺到? 陌生人:介意。) E.g. 你:mind唔mind等我一陣? 老細:唔mind。 (你:介唔介意等我一陣? 老細:介意。)