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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


926 results found

yau lok

Definition: A romanised Cantonese phrase that westernised Hong Kongers use to call the minibus driver to stop at the next bus stop. (有落)

Usage: E.g. Mm goi yau lok! (唔該,有落)

Synonym: 有落

yum cha

Definition: An Englishised Cantonese phrase that real ABC Hong Kongers use to refer to going to a traditional Chinese restaurant for dim sum. (飲茶)

Usage: E.g. Let's go to yum cha this weekend!

Synonym: 飲茶

actually

Definition: Often overused by Fake ABCs in Hong Kong for creating a western appeal, especially when they lack English vocabulary.

Usage: E.g. Actually,我都要D時間諗下先。我過兩日再覆你。 E.g. 朋友:我地係咪約好左聽日去睇戲呀?你:Actually,我聽日唔得閒。 E.g. Actually,你講既野都有D道理。不過我唔同意。

Synonym: 其實

catch up

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kongers to refer to talking to someone in order to know what they have been doing.

Usage: E.g. 我地幾時會再catch up吓?好耐冇見喇。

Synonym: 趕上進度

clubbing

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to going to bars and clubs because they find the Cantonese equivalent terms a lot more suitable for a mature audience.

Usage: E.g. A: 去唔去clubbing呀?B: 你指係邊啲?A: 緊唔係夜總會啦!(A: Do you want to go clubbing? B: Which type are you referring to? A: Of course not nightclubs!)

Synonym: 夜店,夜總會

Reference: https://jyutdictionary.com/dictionary/entry/夜總會

Dalloyau

Definition: Originated from the name of a French food company, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person's big buttocks or hitting someone's buttocks.

Usage: E.g. 香港顧客每次行過海港城或者各大商場分店,一見到個招牌就往往忍唔住用廣東話讀成「大籮柚」或者「打籮柚」,甚至連買雪糕同朱古力嗰陣都腦海自動洗腦 (Every time Hong Kong customers walk across a branch in Harbour City or a big shopping mall, they often can't help but pronounce the shop's sign as "big buttocks" or "hit buttocks" in Cantonese. Even when they are just buying ice-cream and chocolate, their minds are automatically brainwashed.)

Synonym: 大蘿柚; 打籮柚

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdwORP1km-F/?stkn=N2Y4ZXdtc3NrbWgx (use mobile version)

dank you

Definition: Originated from 'thank you' and often pronounced as '釘橋' meaning nail bridge in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to express their gratitude towards someone.

Usage: E.g. Dank you哂你幫我手呀。不如我今日請你食lunch好嗎?(Thank you for helping me out. What about I treat you lunch today?)

Synonym: thank you, 釘橋

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLR0QEuMT7j/ (use mobile version)

discount

Definition: A more appealing code-mixing term than the Cantonese equivalent word '折扣', which shopkeepers like to use to attract customers.

Usage: E.g. 今個月清貨大discount。快D入黎慢慢揀啦!

Synonym: 折扣

Reference: https://www.gotrip.hk/生活/中英夾雜-港式廣東話-gt12-772959/

document

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used to refer to a computer document (文件).

Usage: E.g. 唔該你send份document過黎呀。記住要pdf喎。

Synonym: 文件

Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/mens-talk/simon-shen-hong-kong-english-chinese

exposure

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being able to gain experience of something by being in a particular environment rather than having physical contact with something. However, it is not to be confused with public exposure.

Usage: E.g. 學習語言要夠exposure。(Learning a language needs enough exposure.) E.g. 做開大行去細行一定唔慣,exposure 又細啲,資源又小啲。(It must be hard getting used to working in a small company if you came from a large company. There is less exposure and resources are also less.)

Synonym: 接觸

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2363704/page/1

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