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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


784 results found

Giorgio Armarni

Definition: Known as JM tone and pronounced with an extra 'r' in Armani, this is a code-mixing term used by Hong Kong celebrity Janice Man to refer to the Italian fashion designer and brand.

Usage: E.g.「嚟到GoRgio ARmaRni(Giorgio Armani)嘅show嘅現場…」馬米高聽到一臉疑惑︰「Hello Girl!你去咗冒牌現場啊? Giorgio Arrr讀到呢度都啱,但係咪ar-MARNI?冇R喎!」(Janice Man: "Arriving at the live show of Giorgio ArmaRni..." Michael Ma heard and suspected: "Hello Girl! Did you go to the fake brand's live show? Giorgio Arrr is pronounced correctly, but is it ar-MARNI? There is no R there!)

Synonym: 喬治·亞曼尼, Giorgio Armani

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVyay3rgqtf/?igsh=MWU0bGlyajBnM3B5OQ== (use mobile version)

Definition: Originated from meat being very expensive back in the 1950s, this is a Kongish code-mixing idiom used by native Hong Kongers who like to joke about giving birth to a piece of cha siu rather than their children.

Usage: E.g. You are so naughty and never do well in school! I would rather give birth to a cha siu than you!

Synonym: 生舊叉燒好過生你

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-生舊叉燒好過生你-better-to-give-birth-to-char-siu-than-you/#:~:text=Sik6%20caa1%20siu,back%20into%20its%20own%20court.

go scuba diving

Definition: An Englishised code-mixing phrase that refers to someone who disappeared for a long time and no one knows where they went.

Usage: E.g. I will be blacklisting this guy who promised to attend the conference but went scuba diving!

Synonym: 潛水

goldfish man

Definition: Known as Kongish and originated from a story where a man used to lure children by promising to buy them goldfish, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to a paedophile. (金魚佬)

Usage: E.g. Stop buying me chocolate and lure me like a goldish man!

Synonym: 金魚佬

Reference: https://www.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486w/public/images/methode/2016/01/21/c10168a8-bff3-11e5-9503-d84cbca18933_486x.jpg?itok=sF-XAnJn

good question

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students when they want to pause and think how to answer a question, even though it doesn't necessarily imply their ignorance.

Usage: E.g. 唔識答就話that’s a very good question, 然後帶佢遊花園 (If you don't know how to answer, just say that's a very good question. Then beat around the bush.)

Synonym: 問得好

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2767347/page/3

group

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a relatively small number of people or things being put together but probably not big enough to be an organisation or entity.

Usage: E.g. 我地間公司係一個group,不如加入我地既whatsapp group再傾吓我地可以點合作?(Our company is a group. What about joining our Whatsapp group so we can talk about how we can work together?)

Synonym: 組, 組織, 集團

Reference: https://resources.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/23487/職場熱話-被迫加入廿個公司group-員工-不停彈訊息-連apple-watch都壞埋

hai

Definition: A romanised code-mixing term that foreignised Hong Kongers use when they want to say ‘yes’ to someone.

Usage: Hong Konger: Are you a gweilo? Foreigner: Hai.

Synonym: 係

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

happy

Definition: (verb.) An adjective-turned-verb code-mixing term meaning to enjoy oneself.

Usage: E.g. 做人久唔久都要happy一吓先得架嘛。 E.g. 今個週末一齊去happy吓好嗎? E.g. 聽日放工一齊去happy hour啦!(歡樂時光)

hard feeling

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to avoid the use of sensitive negative vocabulary when they want to describe a situation where there can be anger or resentment involved when disagreement happens.

Usage: E.g. A: 雖然我地達唔到共識,但係大家都唔好有hard feeling, ok? B: OK,明白。 (A: Even though we did not reach a consensus, we should not have any hard feelings okay? B: Okay, understood.) E.g. A: 雖然我地達唔到共識,但係大家都唔好有怨恨, ok? B: 講咩呀你?我幾時有怨恨?! (A: Even though we did not reach a consensus, we should not have any resentment okay? B: What are you talking about? When did I have resentment?!)

Synonym: 憤怒, 怨恨, 不快

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3777161/page/1

headcount

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers as a more technical and corporate way of referring to the number of employees in a company because '人數' sounds too everyday in Cantonese like when getting enough people to play Mahjong together.

Usage: E.g. 大家公司最近咩環境 有冇freeze headcount? (How is everybody's company doing recently? Any company is freezing headcount?)

Synonym: 人數

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3674159/page/1

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