Define Your Term | Login | Sign up
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More | FAQ | Commentary | Downloads | Lectures | Videos | Instagram Instagram
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


965 results found

fall country fall city

Definition: Derived from the idiom '傾國傾城', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used to describe women that are so devastatingly beautiful that they can make a country or city fall.

Usage: E.g. The girls in this club are so fall country fall city!

Synonym: 傾國傾城

pull a cow up the tree

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe strenuous tasks that are almost impossible to complete.

Usage: E.g. Getting my son to do homework is like pulling a cow up the tree!

Synonym: 拉牛上樹

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms

show me your love rice

Definition: Translated from the punning of ‘粟米肉粒飯’ (shuk mai yuk lup fan), this is a Kongish code-mixing term that refers to a rice dish with creamed corn and pork served in Hong Kong Cha Chaan Tang restaurants.

Usage: E.g. Excuse me, may I have a ‘show me your love rice’?

Synonym: 粟米肉粒飯

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

effective communication

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers who believe that making use of profanity is only for the sake of communicating effectively because a person can still be good-hearted regardless.

Usage: E.g. 真心 小弟現實真係冇咁爛口 講粗口都係為咗Effective Communication 盡量都對事不對人 認真講句 講粗口唔緊要 最重要係心地善良 (To be honest, I'm really not that much of a bad mouth. Swearing is for effective communication. I always try to focus on the problem and not people. Seriously, it doesn't matter if you swear. The most important thing is to be kind-hearted.)

Synonym: 有效溝通

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BAaB6Mq45i/

gau dim eat bowl noodle

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe having done a task, which is similar to 'All done!'. Sometimes, '搞掂食碗麵' can be shortened to '搞掂'.

Usage: E.g. I have finally done this task! Gau dim eat bowl noodle!

Synonym: 搞掂食碗麵

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/12-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-visit-hong-kong#:~:text=This%20phrase%20means%20%E2%80%9CAll%20done,can%20announce%20%E2%80%9CGau%20dim!%E2%80%9D

Return water (wui shui)

Definition: To get a refund for something due to dissatisfaction.

Usage: The service was so bad, that's why I wanted to wui shui.

Synonym: 回水

Fake it till you fail it

Definition: Similar to the famous quote 'fake it till you make it', this is a code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to acting as if you are confident and capable until you achieve the results, except that it is full of bragging and shouting nonsense at a very high volume.

Usage: E.g. 無research就無insights,成班人喺度鳩嗌,彷彿嗌大聲啲就會突然make business sense。口號型經濟,大家一齊fake it till you fail it (Without research, there can be no insights. The whole group is shouting nonsense, as if shouting louder will suddenly make business sense. Slogan type economics, let's fake it till you fail it together.)

Synonym: 扮到失敗為止; 弄假成敗

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BAOhMEibQy/

Nei g ng ng ngo kong mut?

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase used by local student Hong Kongers when they want to ask whether someone understands what they are talking about.

Usage: E.g. Nei g ng g ngo kong mut? (Do you know what I am saying?)

Synonym: 你知唔知我講乜?

Reference: https://www.socialcareer.org/blogs/do-you-really-know-cantonese

good good study day day up

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong local students to encourage others to keep studying hard and make progress every day.

Usage: E.g. My Chinese classmates often tell me to 'Good good study, day day up'. It's so catchy!

Synonym: 好好學習,天天向上

Reference: https://dw-media.tkww.hk/epaper/tkp/20091103/A25_Screen.pdf

people mountain people sea

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term used by Hong Kongers to emphasize how crowded and jam-packed a place is.

Usage: E.g. 同事:今日搭車返工多唔多人呀? 你:多呀,可以話係people mountain people sea呀。 E.g. 你:哇,人山人海呀!朋友:簡直係people mountain people sea啦!

Define Your Term | Download App | Learn More | Home
Feel free to send your comments and suggestions to info@megaexplorer.net.