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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


319 results found

I don't know

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by the K-pop singer Jackson Wang (王嘉爾) when he has nothing to say. Even though he was born in Hong Kong, it is often said that he has real American Born Chinese vibe, due to his strong knowledge of English filler terms while speaking in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 我從運動員到練習生到出道,去海外,我自己覺得我係捱到既。但係有時呢D咁既野真係hit到我,我真係...i don't know. (From being an athlete to a trainee to debut then overseas, I always thought I could endure. But when there were things that hit me sometimes, I really just... I don't know.)

Synonym: 我唔知

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7-73ZG8G2s

I mean

Definition: A tag-switching phrase often used by Native Hong Kongers for clarifying on matters. However, it can sometimes be overused by Fake ABC's to strike a western impression on others.

Usage: E.g. 份project未搞掂呀。I mean,我岩岩做完要check吓先。 E.g. 港女:你應該食少D野。I mean,你應該減吓肥至岩。 E.g. 香港人:你講咩話?偽ABC:I mean,well... I mean,我覺得你身材唔係好fit囉I mean。

Reference: https://www.academia.edu/8666953/Common_usage_of_code-mixing_among_trilingual_Hong_Kongers

ignore

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers as a softer way of not responding to someone without acting like that person isn't there at all.

Usage: E.g. 畀男朋友ignore到灰 (I am being ignored by my boyfriend to the point of being very sad.)

Synonym: 無視

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/361401/page/5

individual

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe people who are really just minding their own business but not necessarily alone or single.

Usage: E.g. 呢間bar啲人點呀?係唔係個個都好individual咁樣呀? (How are the people in this bar? Are they all really just minding their own business?)

Synonym: 單獨

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@matthew_lam1116/post/DAcSyqdScem?hl=zh-hk

interesting

Definition: A code-mixing filler term used by westernised Hong Kongers when they don't really find the other person's topic is all that interesting in a conversation.

Usage: E.g. A: 我平時鍾意寫app,去語言交流免費教人廣東話。B: 哦,interesting, interesting... (A: I like writing apps and going to language exchange to volunteer teaching people Cantonese regularly. B: Oh, interesting, interesting...) E.g. 我見外國人成日都用interesting 黎答人,仲要面無表情,會唔會係根本interesting 係外國一直都只係解: 哦⋯⋯. (I often see foreigners use 'interesting' as a response in a conversation, but without facial expression. Could it be that 'interesting' merely means like 'oh....' from a foreigner's perspective?)

Synonym: 很有趣, 哦

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1047783/page/1

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

jo sun

Definition: A code-mixing term used by real ABC Hong Kongers to say good morning because they cannot pronounce the Cantonese equivalent words '早晨' properly.

Usage: E.g. ABC:Jo sun! 本土香港人:吓?你講咩話? ABC:Good morning!

Synonym: 早晨

judgment

Definition: Often associated with negative connotations, this is a code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to show their ability to form valuable opinions after thorough thought, like a lawyer in a court case.

Usage: E.g. 第一次認識人唔好咁快pass judgment啦!(Don't pass judgment so quickly upon knowing a person for the first time!) E.g. 我希望你會接受我既judgment。(I hope you will accept my judgment.)

Synonym: 判斷

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1787326/page/1

kau

Definition: A classic Kongish code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students use to refer to picking up, chatting up and courting someone, especially girls. Even though this is considered a more serious term than 'flirting', it is still very often used to describe someone who is just chatting up the opposite sex but not necessarily looking for romance, especially for the long term.

Usage: E.g. Tonight go ng go kau lui? (Want to pick up girls tonight?)

Synonym: 溝

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?1,39072

last minute

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to the revision notes that they would read at the last moment before a DSE exam.

Usage: E.g. 最後一分鐘(Last minute)系列 - 你點睇? (What do you think of the book series called Last Minute?)

Synonym: 最後一分鐘

Reference: https://blog.tutorcircle.hk/33397/最後一分鐘-last-minute-有冇用-好唔好/#google_vignette

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