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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


871 results found

eat dead cat

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone being a scapegoat or taking the blame for something that they did not do.

Usage: E.g. I did not cheat in the exam and you made me eat dead cat??!

Synonym: 食死貓

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

eat lemon

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to refer to being rejected. (食檸檬)

Usage: E.g. This time eat lemon la,very chaam chaam pig.

Synonym: 食檸檬

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/8-colloquialisms-unique-to-cantonese

eat soft rice

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a man who relies on his wife or girlfriend to sustain a living.

Usage: E.g. Be a real man and stop eating soft rice!

Synonym: 食軟飯

eat wet rice

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who is useless and is a waste of money to raise him or her up. (食濕米 or 食塞米)

Usage: E.g. You cannot get anything done at all today? Do you eat wet rice? (你係咪食塞米?)

Synonym: 食濕米, 食塞米

Reference: https://shyyp.net/hant/phrase/%E9%A3%9F%E5%A1%9E%E7%B1%B3

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe a situation where there is a scene or fight going on between people, and you are just excited to watch what will happen as a bystander. '食住花生等睇戲' can be shortened to '食花生' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. I have never seen people argue like this over Whatsapp! Let's eat peanuts while waiting to watch a film!

Synonym: 食住花生等睇戲

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

eight woman

Definition: (vulgar) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe a female person who is nosy and meddles in other people's business. Similar to 'bitch' in English. Literal meaning of 八婆: eight old woman

Usage: E.g. Mind your own business, eight woman! (八婆) E.g. Are you done messing around, die eight woman?! (死八婆) E.g. You are such an eight woman! (正八婆)

Synonym: 八婆

Reference: https://www.secretchina.com/news/b5/2013/11/29/521805.html

elaborate

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local and overseas educated Hong Kongers when they want to testify a person's knowledge or believe that the other person can be more eloquent in expressing their ideas.

Usage: E.g. 唔好意思。我唔明你講咩喎。你可以elaborate一吓嗎?(I’m sorry. But I don’t understand what you are talking about. Can you elaborate?)

Synonym: 詳細說明

encore

Definition: Pronounced as 'N-call', this is a code-mixing term used to get the performer to sing one more time at the end of a concert.

Usage: E.g.今次演唱會唔知會ENCORE幾多次呢? E.g. Encore!!!我今次要encore到爆為止!

Synonym: 唱多一次

ending

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to the ending of a matter, story, or event.

Usage: E.g. Ending係點,我地自己決定架。(來至電影"明日戰記")

Synonym: 結局

energy

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local celebrity Jo Lam to refer to having the power and ability to have enthuasiasm, curiosity and interest towards other people, in order to improve your quality of life and have what he calls superpower.

Usage: E.g. 林作:如果你想改善你既世界,應該最想追求嗰個quality係嗎?答案就係energy。我唔係一個最係大聲講野,乍乍跳ADHD野既人,但係我可以喺每一個場合帶出嗰種enthusiasm,嗰種curiosity,嗰種interest,係一個會令到個場裡面既人更加被感染,更加對生命係有一種熱誠喺度。你要既係呢樣野,先至係我既所謂Superpower。(E.g. If you want to improve your world, then you would most likely want to pursue that quality of life? The answer is energy. I'm not a person who talks the loudest and hyperactive like ADHD, but I can bring out that enthusiasm, that curiosity, that interest in every setting, which will influence people to have a greater passion for life. This is what you want, which is what I call superpower.)

Synonym: 活力; 能量

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

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