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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


481 results found

do

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to gestures and customs that an employee must do or learn when they work in a company. Usage: E.g. 老細黎到仲唔識DO? 快D讓座同沖杯咖啡比佢啦! E.g. 打工仔要識DO先得,如果咪好快冇得撈。Reference: https://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/lifestyle/archive/goodjob/23372

heavy

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe the feeling of eating too much. Usage: E.g. 食完打邊爐再飲咖啡會好heavy。

high tech

Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is advanced in technology.  There is a famous quote that goes "High Tech揩野,Low Tech撈野", which describes the volatility of high-tech products as opposed to low-tech products that have a larger market despite high competition. Usage: E.g. 哇,張枱有自動升降好high tech呀。Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf

low tech

Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is very unadvanced in technology.  There is a famous quote that goes "High Tech揩野,Low Tech撈野", which describes the volatility of high-tech products as opposed to low-tech products that have a larger market despite high competition. '撈' refers to '有得撈', which means you can earn a living. Usage: E.g. 今時今日唔可以再咁low tech架喇。快D買返部智能手機啦。Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf

gong for

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term meaning homework, which only Hong Kong local students can understand. Usage: E.g. Jo jor gong for mei ar? (做左功課未呀?) E.g. Nei mong gong for meh? (你忙功課咩?) E.g. Jo sai d gong for la! (做晒D功課喇!)Synonym: 功課Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/

for

Definition: A code-mixing term often used by working class Hong Kongers to indicate the purpose of a product, in order to pitch and sell it to a customer. Usage: E.g. 呢個app係for你地客戶用架,令到你地方便好多。 E.g. 呢樣產品係for女士用架,尤其係貪靚嗰D。Reference: https://cantowords.com/dictionary/for#w100337

in

Definition: (adj.) A code-mixing term used to describe someone or something as being very trendy. Usage: E.g. 哇,你今日著得好IN呀。 E.g. 聽返D流行音樂,咁先夠IN架嘛。 E.g. 做後生仔要夠IN先得架嘛。Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

database

Definition: A code-mixing word that Hong Kongers love to use to refer to '資料庫' in the IT sector. Usage: E.g. 連得到個database未? 定係connect唔到呢?Synonym: 資料庫

ho dor

Definition: (textspeak) Transliterated from ‘好多’ meaning ‘a lot’ or ‘many’, this is a Kongish code-mixing term used by local student Hong Kongers to complain about the excess of homework. Usage: E.g. Ho dor gong for ah! (好多功課呀!)Synonym: 好多Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/

pool

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to getting out of the singles' pool so that you are finally dating someone! Usage: E.g. 我平時咁宅,估唔到有一日會出pool。