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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


276 results found

native

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to someone who was born or grew up in a particular country, which Hong Kongers find it a lot more convenient to use than the Cantonese equivalent words because it requires much less linguistic effort.

Usage: E.g. 你係唔係native speaker黎架?(講本國語既人) E.g. 你D英文係咪native架?(純正本土口音)

Reference: https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/city-university-of-hong-kong/world-englishes/lecture-3-city-university-of-hong-kongen5714-world-englishes-and-the-social-context-of/20063922

naughty

Definition: A code-mixing term that a Jayden Mami uses to refer to a more playful misbehaviour in a lighthearted way rather than describing a child genuinely bad and unmanageable that the Cantonese equivalent terms tend to denote.

Usage: E.g. Jayden呀,唔好再咁naughty啦。你唔食菜,又唔飲湯,你唔會healthy架!(Jayden, don't be so naughty. If you don't eat vegetables and don't drink soup, you will not be healthy!)

Synonym: 曳;百厭

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/7397/

need sheep have sheep

Definition: Translated from ‘要咩有咩’ with ‘咩’ (what) having a similar sound utterance of a sheep, this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase that is said during Chinese New Year to wish someone they can get whatever they need.

Usage: E.g. Gong Hei fat choi! I wish you need sheep have sheep this year!

Synonym: 要咩有咩

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/12/kongish-a-new-language-of-hong-kongers/

nei ming ng ming gong mud ye?

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase that is often used among local students in Hong Kong girl schools when they cannot understand what the teacher says in a lesson.

Usage: E.g. *Teacher explains what to do for the lesson* Student A: Nei ming ng ming gong mud ye? Student B: Ng ming.

Synonym: 你明唔明講乜野?

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/124322/集體回憶-90後最有共鳴火星文-禾刀吾g-3-你有無份

Night King

Definition: Originated from the Cantonese movie 'Night King' starring Dayo Wong (黃子華), this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the Lai King MTR station.

Usage: E.g. A: 今晚去唔去荔景?B: 好呀。不過荔景幾時變左Night King?!(A: Want to go to Lai King tonight? B: Sure. But when did Lai King become Night King?!)

Synonym: 夜王, 荔景

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/電影/60330286/夜王-葵芳一角爆紅-港鐵葵芳站改名franchesca-仲有隱藏廣播

no eye see

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that refers to something that is like an eyesore to oneself because he or she cannot withstand it anymore.

Usage: E.g. 你地做成日都打爛野。我真係no eye see喇。(冇眼睇)

Synonym: 冇眼睇

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/tag/kongish/

no offense

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers when they are really considerate about offending someone before or after saying something, such as making a comment or remark. However, it can be entirely offensive sometimes even though the person says no offense.

Usage: E.g. 成日開口埋口都講No Offense嘅人,其實先係最Offense。(The person who always says no offense is very often the person who is the most offensive.)

Synonym: 有怪莫怪, 無意冒犯

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/100most/posts/毛牌觀察學-第五話成日開口埋口都講no-offense嘅人其實先係最offense要講offense嘢唔使咁就住嘅一係下次試吓改口講no-defense/1031481205006323/

odd

Definition: A code-mixing adjective term used by native Hong Kongers to describe something that is peculiar or unexpected, which is usually milder compared to the Cantonese equivalent word '怪' meaning strange.

Usage: E.g. 莊雅婷有點odd odd 哋的美學,和鍾培生可說是絶配,但鄉港人唔會識欣賞。 (Angel Chong is a bit of odd in aesthetics, which is a perfect match with Derek Chung, but Hong Kong people will not appreciate.)

Synonym: 怪

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@timorese2332/post/DVnTY5-jiQo?xmt=AQF0qy0bkiofGtnpzBvRV8K80eRv2Va6md233oSjBwnVGUCCMt_lLP7oN7zuNkcGOPG9nm0h&slof=1

Of course

Definition: A phrase used by native Hong Kongers to affirm that something is true or obvious, usually among friends and relatives in informal settings, especially with the particle 'la' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 朋友: 今日出街記住載口罩。 你:Of course啦! E.g. 女朋友: 哇,你好叻呀。 你:Of course啦! E.g. 男朋友: 估唔到你咁醒目。 你:Of course啦!

off

Definition: A more polite way of telling somebody to shut up or '收皮' in Cantonese, which means to pack their things up and leave. (Also see 'collect skin')

Usage: E.g. Off啦你,成日咁多野講。E.g. Off啦你,成日搞搞陣冇幫襯。

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-收皮-collect-skin/

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