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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


513 results found

wear a green hat

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe a man whose wife is cheating on him. Usage: E.g. Why did you have to cheat on me and let me wear the green hat for so long?!! Synonym: 載綠帽Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now?utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_medium=instagram&utm_source=dash+hudson&utm_content=www.instagra

water

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to money and lots of different things. Usage: E.g. Blow water. (吹水 - to chat casually or brag about something) E.g. Measure water. (磅水 - to give money) E.g. Return water. (回水 - to return money) E.g. Clear water. (通水 - to give secret info like a test) E.g. Draw water. (抽水 - to get profit or benefit for free) E.g. One lump of water. (一舊水 - one hundred dollars) E.g. What water? (乜水 - who the heck are you?)Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/679575/%E5%BB%A3%E6%9D%B1%E8%A9%B1%E8%80%83%E8%B5%B7%E4%BD%A0%E3%80%80%E3%80%8C%E6%B0%B4%E3%80%8D%E5%AD%97%E6%9C%89%E5%B9%BE%E5%A4%9A%E7%A8%AE%E6%84%8F%E6%80%9D%EF%BC%9F

water fish

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person who is easily deceived or fooled. Usage: E.g. Some people say Hong Kong is an international water fish city! (國際水魚都市)Synonym: 水魚

kai

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to someone who is silly and stupid. ie. An imbecile. Usage: E.g. 唔好成日咁KAI喺到亂咁嗌啦!你係低能定係白痴架?! E.g. Don't be so kai yelling all the time! Are you low b or an idiot?

snake king

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to slacking off at work. Usage: E.g. Don't be such a snake king all the time! Get some work done!Synonym: 蛇王

wat gei

Definition: Known as Kongish and having the literal meaning of 'bend machine', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to having overly powerful ability to do something. Usage: E.g. You must be wat gei in this game because you practice all the time!Synonym: 屈機Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-cantonese-slang-internet

I cant believe it

Definition: A tag-switching phrase that is often overused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong. Usage: E.g. I can't believe it!呢隻牌子你唔係未聽過嗎? E.g. Oh my God! 你唔係未去過呢間餐廳嘛?I can't believe it!Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/555250/偽ABC扮唔識中文%20網民揶揄造作

sworn brother

Definition: (vulgar) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to call someone a bastard or son of a bitch. Also has the meaning of gigolo, which originated from Fuzhou in China. (契弟) Usage: E.g. You are dead meat, sworn brother! (契弟) E.g. Oh gosh we are doomed. This time we are gonna be sworn brothers. (做契弟) E.g. So you’ve been treating me like a sworn brother all along? (當我契弟) E.g. Sworn brother walks slowly. (契弟走得摩)Synonym: 契弟Reference: https://baike.baidu.hk/item/%E5%A5%91%E5%BC%9F/7349815

wuddud

Definition: A romanised code-mixing term that is used by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to refer to '核突', which refers to something that is aesthetically unpleasant or ugly. Usage: E.g. 港女:Im so broke so I went into a random updup maiseen place eat din alone but then I realize the place is too dirty and updup and ppl ard me dou ho dirty and wuddud...Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/2254771/wuddud=核突%E3%80%80港女「流利」港式英語投訴米線店考起網民

no need to ask Ah Gui

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to something that is so obvious that there is no need to ask anyone about it, especially after finding out the wrong of somebody. 'Ah Gui' is a name that originated from an infamous official (李世桂) in the Qing Dynasty. Usage: E.g. It must be him who let out the secrets! No need to ask Ah Gui!Synonym: 唔洗問阿貴Reference: https://www.kamadelivery.com/blog/posts/香港10大俗語-地道文化背景大解構/