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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


926 results found

assess

Definition: Originated from ‘access’, this is a code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the means through which one can enter a system or having the permission to retrieve data from a system.

Usage: E.g. 唔該可唔可以比個database既assess比我? (Could you give me the access to the database?) E.g. 我assess唔到個system。可唔可以比密碼我?(I cannot access the system. Can you give me the password?)

Synonym: access, 讀取

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/CjZh3wSpu4l/ (use mobile version)

assignment

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong teachers love to use to imply to students that there is some standard to adhere to or duty to be taken for the task given to them, rather than something that requires much effort as the Cantonese phrase ‘功課‘ denotes.

Usage: E.g. 記住assignment要自己做,唔好抄人地或用AI。(Remember that you must do the assignment by yourself, and not copy others or use AI.)

Synonym: 功課

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1883876/page/1

aware

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to noticing something in a more passive and less intentional way.

Usage: E.g. 我唔係唔知道發生咩事,只不過當時我唔係咁aware周邊既環境姐。(It's not that I don't know what was going on, but I was just not aware of my surrounding environment at that time.)

Synonym: 意識;知道;察覺;為意

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/1chahae/difference_between_realize_and_be_aware_of/?tl=zh-hant

awkward

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a social situation where one feels very strange and uncomfortable, rather than an embarrassing situation where one feels ashamed or humiliated, as the Cantonese equivalent term '尷尬' can take on any of those two meanings.

Usage: E.g. 本來咁多人約左出黎食飯點知得返你地兩個,會唔會覺得好awkward? (Originally many people were going to have a meal together, but only two of you came. Did it feel awkward?)

Synonym: 尷尬

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@janemanic.english/post/DHpmw9YRm-y/很多人分不清-embarrassedembarrassing-和-awkward雖然它們都有尷尬的意思但用法不同-embarrassed-形容人的感受例如-i-?hl=zh-hk

Bearing, Barrack

Definition: 許多香港人的廣東話是直接由英文翻譯過來,譬如Bearing,Barrack。平時口語叫「啤1令2」及「1巴1叻」(讀力第1聲),比起說「輪軸」及「儲物房」在交流上更加方便易明。(Many Hong Kongers translate Cantonese directly from English, such as Bearing and Barrack. Said as "啤1令2" and "1巴1叻" (pronounced 1st tone), it is more convenient and understandable than saying "wheel shaft" and "storage room".)

Usage: 車輪啤令鬆脫,電動車在行車時發出了雜聲 (The wheel bearing came loose, causing the electric vehicle to make abnormal noises while driving.)

Synonym: 啤令,巴叻; 士巴拿spanner

bend machine

Definition: An Englishised code-mixing phrase used by westernised Hong Kongers to describe having an overly powerful ability to do something, such as winning a game.

Usage: E.g. I can't believe you are winning every game! Are you bending machine?!

Synonym: 屈機

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-cantonese-slang-internet

Best

Definition: Often expressed as ‘老best’ meaning 'old best', this is a code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers to refer to a best friend that a person has known for a long time. (呢個好大部分時候係攞嚟應用自己啲friend呀樣表達自己個friend係好老友囉咁樣)

Usage: E.g. 你哋睇下呢個係我老best。(Let me show all of you. This is my old best friend.)

Synonym: 睇下呢個係我個好朋友, 老友, old best friend

Reference: https://mingpaomonthly.com/article/details/語文.書話/2025-02/1737624129007/老best、bestie有咩分別?%20(歐陽偉豪)

best friend

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a friend who gets along with you very well, even though it does not always mean it is someone who you can have a deep talk with, unlike '老best' in Cantonese meaning old best friend.

Usage: E.g. 我同我“Best Friend”玩咗好多年,但實際上我從來都無同過佢講我嘅心事,心入面仲會成日妒忌佢,成日當佢係我競爭對手,究竟咁樣仲叫唔叫best friend 呢.... (E.g. I played with my "Best Friend" for years, but in fact I have never shared what is in my heart with him, and would often be jealous of him and treat him as my competitor Is that still called a best friend?)

Synonym: 最好朋友

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/705900/page/1

Big Ben

Definition: Purportedly to have derived from a lazy accent, this is code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to the famous Korean boy band Big Bang.

Usage: E.g. 我上個禮拜先去完London呀,睇呢個Big Ben呀。現場睇好震撼架。Bang bang bang呀。你知唔知一票難求呀,唔係個個都有得睇架。(E.g. I just went to London last week to see Big Bang. The live performance was so thrilling. Bang bang bang ah. Do you know that it was so hard to get a ticket? Not everyone can watch it.)

Synonym: Big Bang

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DctSl4XSlAx/?igsi=MTYwam84MTNjb3FieA== (use mobile version)

big head shrimp

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone being forgetful and careless, such as forgetting their keys or where they put their phone. (大頭蝦 - daai6 tau4 haa1)

Usage: E.g. A: You forgot to bring your wallet? Such a big head shrimp!

Synonym: 大頭蝦

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-大頭蝦-big-head-prawn-language-hong-kong/

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