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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


182 results found

Itadakimasu

Definition: With a literal meaning of 'humbly receive', this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers who work in Japanese companies to express politeness before starting to eat a meal, which is equivalent to "Let's eat" in English.

Usage: E.g. A: Itadakimas! B: 其實係唔係一定要講?A: 唔係,不過有禮貌啲囉。(A: Itadakimas! B: Do we actually have to say this? A: No, but it's more polite if we do.)

Synonym: 開飯喇, 唔客氣喇, Let's eat

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itadakimasu

job description

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a paragraph of job responsibilities that may be lacking in detail in order to cover up the downsides of the job position.

Usage: E.g. 基本上所謂嘅「正職」,份份都搞唔撚掂,睇job description已經feel到伏到爆;人工就好似倒退咁,俾$20,000已經好似唔想俾咁。(Basically the so-called "full-time job", I cannot really handle every one of these jobs, as reading the job descriptions already makes me feel like it's a trap; Salary is like a regression, and $20,000 is already something they don't want to give.)

Synonym: 工作內容; 職務描述

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/_hfKA8ePg/

job hunting

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the activity of finding a job, which definitely sounds more fun, exciting and challenging than the Cantonese equivalent terms '求職' and '找工作'.

Usage: E.g. A: 你搵到工嗎? B: 冇呀,我仲喺到job hunting。

Synonym: 求職, 找工作

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/comments/1opsow8/job_hunting_socialising_in_hk/

jumpy

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a CV or resume that has a work history of many different jobs in a short period of time.

Usage: E.g. HR:你份CV太jumpy喇!D公司睇到唔會想見你!

LGTM

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to making the remark "looks good to me" after doing a code review for a programmer, which means the work has been done properly.

Usage: E.g. Review完喇,LGTM!ϵ( 'Θ' )϶

Synonym: 睇落唔錯

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3878537/page/24

list out

Definition: Often mistaken as grammatically incorrect and seen as redundant with ‘out’ conforming to ‘列出‘ in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to jotting down a number of items on a piece of paper or device.

Usage: E.g. 你可以先list out所有項目,然後研究每一個點樣做。(You may first list out all the items, then study how each one can be done.)

Synonym: 列出

Reference: https://ludwig.guru/s/list+out

load

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to putting information into a computer. (載入)

Usage: E.g. 點解個website load咁耐都load唔到架?Load得咁慢真係GG喇。

Synonym: 載入

local

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers in the IT sector like to use to refer to the local environment of a computer.

Usage: E.g. 你要喺local試吓run個program,然後再upload上去個server到試。

Synonym: 本地

look forward

Definition: Originated from business emails and often said without a ‘to’ at the end, this is a code-mixing phrase that working class Hong Kongers would use in non-business settings when they really anticipate the happening of an event.

Usage: E.g. 我好look forward今餐會食咩。(I really look forward to what I will be eating for this meal.) E.g. 我好look forward今次既足球比賽。(I really look forward to this football match.)

Synonym: 期待

Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/42024/lookforwardto點用-後面動詞需要加ing-與lookingforwardto有甚差別-用法-例句

main

Definition: Derived from the noun ‘maintenance’, this is a code-mixing verb used to refer to carrying out maintenance work on something in order to keep it running without errors and issues.

Usage: E.g. D code寫簡短啲,main就容易做啲啦。(Write simpler code so you can carry out maintenance more easily.)

Synonym: Maintenance,維護

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2545265/page/1

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