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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


538 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

gluttonous cat

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who eats so much, which is similar to 'eats like a pig' in English. (為死貓) Usage: E.g. You eat 5 meals a day? What a gluttonous cat!Synonym: 為食貓Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/48371

jor

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term transliterated from ‘咗’, which is equivalent to the ‘-ed’ particle for past tense in English. Usage: E.g. Jo jor gong for mei ar? (做咗功課未呀?) E.g. Sik jor farn mei ar? (食咗飯未呀?)Synonym: 咗Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/

anyway

Definition: A term used by native Hong Kongers to divert one topic to another in a polite manner. Usage: E.g. 係呀,個proposal已經搞掂了。Anyway, 我兒家要去開meeting。 E.g. 份proposal仲未搞掂?Anyways, 我兒家要食lunch喇。Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

go through

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to examining something in detail. Usage: E.g. 老闆:開會時記住同大家go through一下今個week既items。Reference: https://www.story001.com/post-196.html

copy

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers like to use to refer to a duplicate of something, such as a document. Usage: E.g. 份document整多幾份copy黎呀,唔該。Synonym: 副本

pineapple chicken

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone who likes leeching off others. (菠羅雞 - bo1 lo4 gai1) Usage: E.g. That girl is such a pineapple chicken! She just comes every time for the benefits and does not share or contribute.Synonym: 菠羅雞Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/60017/

ging

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term often used by the younger generation to describe something or someone as very skillful or powerful. (勁) Usage: E.g. You won the competition?! Ho ging ah! (Very outstanding) E.g. You are so ging at basketball! (Very skillful) E.g. This computer is so ging! (Very powerful)Synonym: 勁Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/12-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-visit-hong-kong#:~:text=An%2520alternative%2520to%2520“hou%2520ging,jeng”%2520if%2520something%2520is%2520awesome.

eat banana

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to tell someone to eat sh*t or cock. (食蕉) Usage: E.g. Hahaha! You lose this game! Eat banana la!Synonym: 食蕉Reference: https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/16113/what-does-蕉-mean-in-cantonese

eat dead cat

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone being a scapegoat or taking the blame for something that they did not do. Usage: E.g. I did not cheat in the exam and you made me eat dead cat??!Synonym: 食死貓Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms