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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


898 results found

mm ho yi si

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase that westernised Hong Kongers use when they want to apologise politely for something.

Usage: E.g. *Holding up a queue* Mm ho yi si. E.g. *Butts into a conversation* Mm ho yi si. Where is the MTR?

Synonym: 唔好意思

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

mo la la

Definition: (textspeak) Transliterated from '無啦啦', this is a Kongish code-mixing term that is used as an adverb to describe something that happened suddenly and unexpectedly.

Usage: E.g. Kui mo la la da ngo! Chi jor sin! (佢無啦啦打我!痴左線!)

Synonym: 無啦啦

mo lei tau

Definition: Transliterated from '冇厘頭' meaning 'with no source', this is a Kongish code-mixing term that is used to describe something that makes no sense. It originated from a type of slapstick humour associated with Hong Kong popular culture in the late 20th century, most notably in Steven Chow's (周星馳) movies.

Usage: E.g. I think this story is mo lei tau! But it gives me a very good laugh! (我覺得呢個故事簡直係冇厘頭!不過真係好搞笑!)

Synonym: 冇厘頭

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo_lei_tau

Mommy told you

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong KOL Janice (janicewanwan) who is known for playing "Jayden’s mother" to emphasize the correctness of her teachings as a typical modern mom, which she says must be correct.

Usage: E.g. 中英夾雜有助 children 盡快 pick up English。Mommy told you 嘅一定是 correct 的. (Chinese-English code-mixing aids children in picking up English more quickly. Whatever Mommy told you must be correct.)

Synonym: 媽媽告訴你

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/即時娛樂/60339385/jayden之亂-中英夾雜潮文橫掃社交平台-諷刺港媽真實育兒方式?utm_campaign=native&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=01webshare#google_vignette

mood

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person's emotional state that can be driven by an atmosphere or a person.

Usage: E.g. 女朋友講完句野搞到我無晒mood (My girlfriend said something which made me lose my mood.)

Synonym: 心情

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/294607/page/3

mother school

Definition: Derived from '母校', this is a Kongish code-mixing term that refers to a school that a person has graduated from. ie. Alma mater.

Usage: Well I’m a Catholic. I believe in what I have been taught when I was in my mother secondary school, Wah Yan Kowloon.

Synonym: 母校

Reference: https://www.inmediahk.net/node/政經/李家超透露是天主教徒-感謝「mother-secondary-school」教誨

my favit

Definition: A more linguistically efficient code-mixing term that refers to 'my favourite' in English. Originated from Hong Kong actor Ron Ng (吳卓羲).

Usage: E.g. 呢到既牛腩河係至正架!簡直係my favit!E.g. 吳卓羲:「Tailin, 賣飛佛(泰林,我的最愛)」

Synonym: 賣飛佛; 我的最愛

Reference: https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/賣飛佛

narm sun

Definition: (textspeak) Derived from '男神' meaning 'male god', this is a Kongish code-mixing term that refers to a super attractive man who females can fantasize about.

Usage: E.g. Ngo geen dou narm sun dem gun beat, ho lun ying cls. (我見到男神Dem緊Beat,好L型痴L線。)

Synonym: 男神

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/283411/大學生打字用火星文-10句港式英文拼音大挑戰-測試你識幾多

naughty

Definition: A code-mixing term that a Jayden Mami uses to refer to a more playful misbehaviour in a lighthearted way rather than describing a child genuinely bad and unmanageable that the Cantonese equivalent terms tend to denote.

Usage: E.g. Jayden呀,唔好再咁naughty啦。你唔食菜,又唔飲湯,你唔會healthy架!(Jayden, don't be so naughty. If you don't eat vegetables and don't drink soup, you will not be healthy!)

Synonym: 曳;百厭

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/7397/

need son ng need mum

Definition: An idiom made popular by the toy product 'Need Son Ng Need Mum', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase that refers to the Chinese family tradition of favouring sons over daughters in carrying on a bloodline.

Usage: E.g. A: Do you think you come from a traditional family? B: Yes! Need son ng need mum!

Synonym: 要仔唔要乸, 重男輕女

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@apetoys/post/DNfCsgkP2qd/限量預訂嘩曱甴懷孕動物-要仔唔要乸-第六彈-小強系列need-son-ng-need-mum-small-strong-series全12款1隱藏款每盒都有男b

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