Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More | Lecture Slides
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


613 results found

madam

Definition: The Hong Kong way of referring to a female police officer (女警官). Usage: E.g. 女警:Target出現。全世界出動!下屬:Yes, Madam!Synonym: 女警官Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

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

primary school chicken

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who is dumb, inexperienced, and immature. Usage: E.g. Pay attention to what the person who is saying during the meeting! Stop acting like a primary school chicken!Synonym: 小學雞Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now?utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_medium=instagram&utm_source=dash+hudson&utm_content=www.instagra

game

Definition: A code-mixing term that often refers to a computer/video game. Usage: E.g. 你最鍾意玩邊隻game呀?Synonym: 遊戲

eight woman

Definition: (vulgar) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe a female person who is nosy and meddles in other people's business. Similar to 'bitch' in English. Literal meaning of 八婆: eight old woman Usage: E.g. Mind your own business, eight woman! (八婆) E.g. Are you done messing around, die eight woman?! (死八婆) E.g. You are such an eight woman! (正八婆)Synonym: 八婆Reference: https://www.secretchina.com/news/b5/2013/11/29/521805.html

promotion

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong salesman love to use as a strategy to advertise their products without sounding like they're doing it for the sake of spreading the word or selling their product. Usage: E.g. 我地公司兒家做緊promotion。你唔買就走寶喇喂。(Our company is now doing promotion. If you don't buy, you'll miss out.)Synonym: 宣傳,推廣Reference: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340689372_Code-Mixing_as_a_Promotion_Strategy_in_Shopping_Centres

timing

Definition: Often said with a rising intonation on the second syllable, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Konger badminton coaches like to use to refer to the exact point in time of something because the Cantonese equivalent ‘時機’ somehow sounds less accurate. Usage: E.g. 描準個ball,睇好個timing打落去,咁先得架嘛。(Aim at the ball, watch for the right timing and hit it. You got it?)Synonym: 時機

maiseen

Definition: A romanised code-mixing term that is used by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to refer to '米線', which is a type of noodles that is very popular in Hong Kong and China. Usage: E.g. 港女:Im so broke so I went into a random updup maiseen place eat din alone...Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/2254771/wuddud=核突%E3%80%80港女「流利」港式英語投訴米線店考起網民

up mud spring

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase that local Hong Kong students use to ask what the heck someone is talking about. Even though it looks like a westernised expression, spring actually refers to testicles and is quite rude when used as an expression. Usage: E.g. Ho lun dor jargon ar. Up mud spring ar? (So many f***ing jargon. What the testicles are you saying?)Synonym: 噏乜春Reference: https://www.hk01.com/熱爆話題/364993/konglish瘋狂洗版-ga-yau係點解-即睇港式英語大測試

double confirm

Definition: Even though the word 'double' may seem redundant, this is a code-mixing expression that is often used in the workplaces of Hong Kong when you want to verify something. Usage: E.g. 可唔可以double confirm吓個schedule呀? E.g. 唔該幫我double confirm吓每一個detail呀。Reference: https://smelab.com.hk/職場英語-double-confirm-reconfirm/