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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


210 results found

By the way

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to avoid seeming as if you have almost forgotten to mention something. Usage: E.g. By the way, 你可唔可以幫我搞掂埋呢份proposal? E.g. By the way, 你今晚幾時得閒呀?Synonym: 順便講

anyway

Definition: A term used by native Hong Kongers to divert one topic to another in a polite manner. Usage: E.g. 係呀,個proposal已經搞掂了。Anyway, 我兒家要去開meeting。 E.g. 份proposal仲未搞掂?Anyways, 我兒家要食lunch喇。Synonym: 點都好; 無論如何Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

general

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to describe something as too broad, vague or not specific enough without sounding too judgmental. Usage: E.g. 啲ad永遠都寫得好general,你唔in過根本唔知人地要咩人。(The job ads are always written in such a general sense. You can never know what they are looking for unless you have been interviewed by them before.)Synonym: 籠統 Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1789393/page/34

pushy

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being annoying and persistent in asking people what you want from them, which they may find unpleasant sometimes. Usage: E.g. 要做成一件事, 我經常會話, 係要夠煩, 要有少少pushy, 要真係問人攞。你既企圖心要夠擔, 夠明顯。無論係愛情, 定係講緊事業, 定係講緊銷售, 定係講緊生意, 有時候要夠煩。(In order to succeed in doing something, I always say that one must be annoying, a little pushy, and be really willing to ask people what you want. You must have a strong and clear ambition. No matter it is love, career, being a salesman or doing business, you have got to be annoying sometimes.)Synonym: 糾纏不休Reference: https://www.threads.com/@jolamchok/post/DWwAUf9EvsW?xmt=AQF0y1ypqqeuGQnl13QqFayBUxJUEO9Wygkjfo1KjhsL2gTqpLWJM-Xeszh4FEGiA-wBWbDL&slof=1

no offense

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers when they are really considerate about offending someone before or after saying something, such as making a comment or remark. However, it can be entirely offensive sometimes even though the person says no offense. Usage: E.g. 成日開口埋口都講No Offense嘅人,其實先係最Offense。(The person who always says no offense is very often the person who is the most offensive.)Synonym: 有怪莫怪, 無意冒犯Reference: https://www.facebook.com/100most/posts/毛牌觀察學-第五話成日開口埋口都講no-offense嘅人其實先係最offense要講offense嘢唔使咁就住嘅一係下次試吓改口講no-defense/1031481205006323/

type

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers often use when they want to tell someone politely that they are not the sort of person they want to be with or attracted to. Usage: E.g. 唔好意思,你唔係我個type。(Sorry, but you are not the type of person I want to be with.)Synonym: 種類Reference: https://www.dcard.tw/f/hkmacdaily/p/239885576/b/4-1

KT

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to the places Kwun Tong or Kai Tak interchangebly. Usage: E.g.「約咗男朋友出街,地點係啟德,佢話係6:30 kt等,我6:30到咗,問佢係邊,佢話就到觀塘,我:???唔係6:30啟德等咩?佢話kt係觀塘。」(I arranged to go out with my boyfriend, the place is Kai Tak. He said wait at KT at 6:30, so I arrived at 6:30. Then I asked where he was, he said he was arriving at Kwun Tong. I said, 'What? I thought it was 6:30 at Kai Tak.' He said KT is Kwun Tong.)Synonym: 觀塘, 啟德Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVsSQu4CEvp/?igsh=ejZ5bzB5NGhjbHpx (use mobile version)

take

Definition: Made popular by an anti-drug advertisement featuring Hong Kong celebrity Aaron Kwok, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use with the Cantonese word '嘢', which means 'take drugs' altogether, even though 'take嘢' literally means 'take thing'. Usage: E.g. 保安局禁毒宣傳品出現「公關災難」,令「一齊企硬 唔take嘢」標語,在柱面上呈現「齊企硬 Take嘢」。There was a "PR disaster" in the Security Bureau's anti-drug promotional materials, which caused the slogan "Stand firm together, don't take any drugs" to be presented as ""Stand firm together and Take Drugs".Synonym: take嘢, take drugsReference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWGb-PriJLK/?igsh=b3Vwa2xmNHFuZ2Qz (use mobile version)

I have no time

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase used by local Hong Kong students to refer to having no time for activities such as dinner or party, which doesn't necessarily mean they have no more time left in their lives such as due to a terminal illness. Usage: E.g. A: Do you want to join the party tonight? B: I have no time.Synonym: 我冇時間Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj7SHv4Jhw4

Franchesca

Definition: Originated from the Cantonese movie 'Night King' starring Dayo Wong, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kong actress Kay Choi who played the role of a nightclub lady and used it as her name, which was somewhat translated from the place Kwai Fong in Hong Kong. Usage: E.g. 我叫Franchesca!今年19歲半,四捨五入都係 19 歲,嚟自香港葵芳。(I am Franchesca. I am 19 and a half years old, or 19 if rounded down. I come from Kwai Fong in Hong Kong.)Synonym: 葵芳Reference: https://www.facebook.com/D100Radio/posts/我叫franchesca今年19歲半四捨五入都係-19-歲嚟自香港葵芳江少真人靚過上鏡新一季虎豹獵奇打響頭炮嘉賓就係電影夜王裏飾演葵芳而爆紅嘅演員-蔡蕙琪-ka/1565701778891323/
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