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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


418 results found

close

Definition: A more suitable way to describe how close a relationship is than the word ‘親密’ (intimate). Usage: E.g. 你同你個friend close唔close架?E.g. 你有幾多個close friend?Synonym: 親密

job

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to an employment position. (工作) Usage: E.g. A:搵到job未呀? B:搵緊喇。\nE.g. A:近排有接job嗎? B:好似好多人搶job。Synonym: 工作Reference: https://freehunter.hk/news/freelancer搵job三大必睇重點

Gong hei fat choi

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase that Hong Kong expats use to wish someone prosperous and good fortune during Chinese New Year. Sometimes , it may be mistakened as 'Happy new year' by non-Cantonese speaking expats, even though there is nothing really wrong with saying it to people excessively. (Variant: Kung hei fat choi) Usage: E.g. Happy Chinese New Year! Gong hei fat choi! Gong hei fat choi!Synonym: 恭喜發財Reference: https://www.zalora.com.hk/blog/lifestyle/kung-hei-fat-choi-meaning-how-to-respond-and-common-cantonese-new-year-blessings/

sorry

Definition: A more effortless way of apologising to someone without sounding so formal and serious. Sometimes, it is pronounced as 'sor-li'. Usage: E.g. Sorry呀,踩親你。 E.g. Sorry呀,我遲到左。 E.g.你:對唔住!係我抵死,係我唔岩!朋友:唔洗咁隆重。你:SORRY囉。Synonym: 對唔住Reference: https://www.academia.edu/8666953/Common_usage_of_code-mixing_among_trilingual_Hong_Kongers

mix

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to a person with a mixed-race descent. Usage: E.g. A:你係唔係mix黎架?B:乜我似mix咩?多謝。E.g. A:你係唔係mix黎架?B:係!當然係啦!我係澳門香港mix呀!Synonym: 混血兒

service charge

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong restaurants love to use especially during public holiday to refer to the additional fee added to a bill because it sounds more classy than '服務費' and less explicit than '加一' or '加二' in Cantonese, which mean +10% and +20% respectively. Usage: E.g. A: 吓?食個下午茶都要加二? B: 今日係新年假期,所以有service charge。(A: What? There's +20% service charge even for an afternoon tea? B: Today is Chinese New Year holiday so there is service charge.) E.g. 到底邊個發明加一服務費?(Who on earth invented +10% service charge?)Synonym: 加一, 加二, 服務費Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2268003/page/4

buffet

Definition: A code-mixing term that only upper class Hong Kongers know how to use to refer to a meal where people serve themselves the food because of the French origin of the word which makes it so hard to pronounce properly. Usage: E.g. A: 放假不如食buffet呀?B: 你指蒲飛?(A: What about eating buffet during holiday? B: You mean po-fei?)Synonym: 蒲飛Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/生日飯-餐廳-推介-推薦-生日餐廳-235652146.html

Last day

Definition: This is a code-mixing phrase commonly used to replace 最後一日 when the last day of activity is reached. Usage: E.g. 今日係唔係last day?Synonym: 最後一日

Mouse(屎)

Definition: Often added with a 屎, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kong people use instead of 滑鼠, meaning 'slippery mouse'. Usage: Eg. 個mouse(屎)幾靚喎。喺邊到買?Synonym: 滑鼠Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

dismiss

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to send somebody away formally and politely, even though at times they may not be taking the other person seriously. Usage: E.g. *打斷* 我地傾左咁耐,不如就喺到dismiss啦? (*interrupt* We have been talking for so long. What about dismiss here?)Synonym: 解散Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2842244/page/13
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