276 results found
Definition: A romanised code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to the red packets of cash given as gifts during Chinese New Year. Even though the first character of the phrase should be pronounced as 'lai' or 'lei' with a short vowel in Cantonese, it is often pronounced as 'laai' with a long vowel when in romanised form, leading to the expression sounding like 'laai see' (瀨屎), which means to poop in one's pants in Cantonese.
Usage: E.g. Expat: Have you got any lai see during Chinese New Year? HK'er: Laai see? Sure! I have laaaai see today. Just kidding.
Synonym: 利是
Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/2007/
Definition: A code-mixing term that waiters love to use to refer to the last order that customers can make in a restaurant before it closes. (最後訂單)
Usage: E.g. 今次last order,有D咩想落就好落喇。 E.g. Waiter: 今次最後訂單。 Customer: 吓?咩訂單話?
Reference: https://www.gotrip.hk/生活/中英夾雜-港式廣東話-gt12-772959/
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that refers to something that is so funny that one can die from having too much laughter.
Usage: E.g. Laugh die me喇!真係好搞笑呀。(笑死我)
Synonym: 笑死我
Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/tag/kongish/
Definition: Pronounced as 'leeb' (long vowel), this is an a lot more linguistically efficient way of referring to '升降機' in Cantonese.
Usage: E.g. 等陣呀。我兒家搭緊lift上黎。
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
Definition: Pronounced with a rising intonation on the second syllable and with a non-rhotic 'r' sound at the end of the word, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to a small lockable compartment used in a gym or school. As for the reason why the Cantonese equivalent '儲物櫃' is not used, it could be that it makes it sound like it is made in China.
Usage: E.g. Locker好似好少人會講儲物櫃咁。
Synonym: 儲物櫃
Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/2169173/網民嚴選-10-個用英文多過中文表達的生字-網民-同朕-check-下
Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is very unadvanced in technology. There is a famous quote that goes "High Tech揩野,Low Tech撈野", which describes the volatility of high-tech products as opposed to low-tech products that have a larger market despite high competition. '撈' refers to '有得撈', which means you can earn a living.
Usage: E.g. 今時今日唔可以再咁low tech架喇。快D買返部智能手機啦。
Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf
Definition: A fashionable code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a meal served at noontime where they can be more casual, carefree and relaxed than in an environment created by the Cantonese equivalent ’午餐‘.
Usage: E.g. 你仲做野?快啲食lunch先啦!(You are still working? Let’s eat lunch first!)
Synonym: 午餐
Reference: https://www.ilc.cuhk.edu.hk/workshop/Chinese/Cantonese/CantoneseExpress/characteristics/p2.aspx
Definition: A fashionable way of referring to lunch in Cantonese.
Usage: Eg. 喂,不如一齊食lunch呀?Eg. 放lunch想食D咩呀?
Synonym: 午餐
Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf
Definition: A romanised Cantonese phrase that westernised Hong Kongers use to ask the waiter to get the bill.
Usage: E.g. Mai daan, mm goi! (埋單, 唔該!)
Synonym: 埋單
Reference: https://homekong.com.hk/blogs/read/helpful-cantonese-phrases-to-know
Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to refer to the stage of a meal where the main dish is served. As to why ‘course’ is more often used than ‘dish’ compared to the Cantonese phrase ‘主菜‘, it may be to do with the upper class etiquette that the stage of a meal is more important than the dish itself.
Usage: E.g. 食semi-buffet質素好過buffet, 起碼個main course係入得落口 (The quality of eating semi-buffet is higher than buffet, at least the main course is decent.)
Synonym: 主菜
Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3120803/page/3