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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


155 results found

cc

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers love to use to refer to sending a copy of an email message to another recipient.

Usage: E.g. 份email記住cc埋比所有人。

Synonym: 抄送

Sei fo

Definition: (Kongish) When something goes completely wrong. Or doesn't work out (fail, flop)

Usage: Sei fo! We didn't prepare for the presentation today. It was a total flop!

Synonym: 死火

ride an ox to look for a horse

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to describe working for a job while looking for a better one. (騎牛搵馬 - ke4 ngau4 wan2 maa5)

Usage: E.g. Look for a job first! You can always ride an ox while looking for a horse!

Synonym: 騎牛搵馬

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?3,139574,139575

buddha-type

Definition: An Englishised code-mixing term used to describe someone who is so calm and relaxed like the almighty Buddha such that he or she does not have time to chase the opposite sex, but focuses on work and personal interests only. Sometimes, it is also used to describe someone who does not get angry easily when things happened.

Usage: E.g. Why don't you find a girlfriend? Are you the buddha-type person? E.g. *bump* That hurt when you bumped into me! But I'm okay, my friend!

Synonym: 佛系

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/cantonese-slang-of-the-week-buddha-type

sell

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to an exchange of goods or services for money, but often with an extra service of persuading and pushing the customer to buy something they don't want to buy at all.

Usage: E.g. 個sales明明係sell野但係又講到唔係。(The salesperson was actually selling and pitching his product but he said he wasn't.)

Synonym: 賣野; 推廣

Reference: https://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=27464402

double click

Definition: A trendy-sounding code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to pressing twice on a mouse or touchpad quickly and gently.

Usage: E.g. 我點樣 fix 我嘅滑鼠每次想 click 一下嘅時候,都會 double click 呢?(How can I fix my mouse? Whenever I click it, it clicks twice?)

Synonym: 雙擊

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/u21xlf/how_do_i_fix_my_mouse_double_clicking_whenever_i/?tl=zh-hant

sales

Definition: Often added with a '屎' (faeces), this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a salesperson.

Usage: E.g. A: 點解好多人唔識分sale 同sell 呢2個字 B: 我諗係因為sales sale屎sell屎sale野sell野. (A: Why do so many people cannot differentiate between sale and sell? B: I think it is because sales sell sh*t and sale thing sell thing.)

Synonym: sale屎

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3146390/page/1

clarify

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers when they want to make something clear or to seek clarification from another person.

Usage: E.g. 我想clarify一吓呢個task係做咩。(I want to clarify what is to be done in this task.) E.g. 我想clarify一吓,係唔係九點開會?(Just to clarify, are we having a meeting at 9 o'clock?)

Synonym: 澄清; 釐清; 講清楚; 問清楚

Reference: https://hk.amazingtalker.com/questions/7500

guarantee

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer more specifically to the legal promises made by a company, especially in a contract or agreement.

Usage: E.g. bonus guarantee 有3個月?有d 公司好仆街係咪都話生意唔好減咁d 架wor (Is it guaranteed to have 3 months of bonus? Some companies are really an epic fail and say their business is not doing good then lower your salary.)

Synonym: 保證

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2863234/page/3

counter

Definition: Pronounced as 'kaahn-taah' with a long back vowel and rising intonation, this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a cashier's counter, information desk or service counter.

Usage: E.g. 小弟係個賣game仔,話說我今日放飯果陣緊係出去食飯啦,咁個counter緊係冇人啦 (I'm a game seller, and of course I went out to have lunch during my lunch break today, so there was no one looking after the counter.)

Synonym: 收銀處; 客戶服務中心; 櫃檯

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/740067/page/1

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