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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


434 results found

debate

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students love to use to refer to having an argument with another person in a peaceful, academic manner. Usage: E.g. 我同我個男朋友平時好鍾意嗌交,嗌吓呢樣又嗰樣,不過都係debate姐。(I like to argue with my boyfriend all the time, about this and that, but it's just debating.)Synonym: 辯論Reference: https://www.threads.com/@yyanchi._/post/C3_6NO0ySjE?hl=zh-hk

invite

Definition: A code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers often use to ask someone to go to an event in a polite and semi-formal manner. Usage: E.g. A: 可唔可以叫埋我個friend黎?B: 好呀,等我invite埋佢啦。(A: Can you get my friend to come as well? B: Sure, let me invite him.)Synonym: 邀請Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2051830/page/2

It's even worse

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to describe something as more inferior in quality than another without saying it's of bad quality. Usage: E.g. 我去過呢間bar。It's even worse!Synonym: 更加差Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3047481/page/1

experience

Definition: A code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers often use when they are excited to hear about another person's experience(s) in something, as the term is also countable as opposed to the Cantonese equivalent term. Usage: E.g. 可以同大家share吓你既travelling experiences嗎? (Could you share your travelling experiences with all of us?)Synonym: 經驗Reference: https://urbanpixxels.com/best-things-to-do-in-hong-kong/

skiiing / snowboarding

Definition: A pair of code-mixing terms that native Hong Kongers like to use to refer to the sport of gliding over snow because it is simply way too tiring having to tell the other person which one you are talking about if you just say ‘滑雪‘ in Cantonese, which has a literal meaning of 'glide snow'. Usage: E.g. 我好鍾意滑雪。B:不過請問係skiing定係snowboarding? (A: I really like gliding snow. B: But do you mean skiing or snowboarding?)Synonym: 滑雪Reference: https://www.baby-kingdom.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=12744670

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/

recap

Definition: A highly efficient code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use when they want to do a short summary of what happened in a period of time without sounding so repetitive, old school and verbose as '概括重述' denotes. Usage: E.g. 不如我地一齊recap一下今個week做左咩?(What about doing a recap of what we did this week?)Synonym: 概括重述Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20052634/香港職場中英夾雜用語-內地網民舉30個例子-表示識粵語都無法理解

urgent

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to demand immediate attention towards a matter without sounding like they are in such a hurry or wanting the other person to hurry the f*** up. Usage: E.g. 呢個係一個urgent既task。B: 明白 (Understood) E.g. 呢個係一個緊急既任務。B: 洗唔洗咁急呀?(Why is there such a hurry?)Synonym: 緊急Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20052634/香港職場中英夾雜用語-內地網民舉30個例子-表示識粵語都無法理解

eye degrees

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students use to refer to the extent someone is shortsighted in degree units. Usage: E.g. You are shortsighted? What is your eye degrees?Synonym: prescription, diopters, 度數Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBmy095Db9U&t=190s

approach

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to refer the way in which a person can start a conversation with someone, especially for the purpose of drawing nearer to them in relationship or distance. Usage: E.g. 到底可以點approach男仔? (How on earth can I approach boys?)Synonym: 靠近Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/546513/page/13