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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


52 results found

chill

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to mean 'relaxing' (adjective), while real ABC's use it as a verb meaning 'to relax'.  However, Fake ABC's use this term to mean feeling cold. (發冷) Usage: E.g. 我覺得首歌好chill呀,好好聽。(relaxing) E.g. 我地一齊去chill一陣呀?(to relax) E.g. 我覺得好chill呀。閂細D aircon得嗎?(feeling cold)Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/128449/你是否-偽abc-chill-中文意思係咩-10個港人常用錯英文字

rat race

Definition: Derived from the Chinese term '內卷' and often translated as 'involution', this is an Englishised code-mixing term that describes an economic situation where excessive competition does not lead to development and innovation. This may lead to people feeling stressed, anxious, and trapped, as the two characters mean 'inside rolling'. Usage: E.g. I'm stuck in the rat race! I'm so tired of competing with everyone just to climb the career ladder!Synonym: 內卷Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjTg1G8rpVc

August 15

Definition: It is a slang used in casual, humorous contexts to describe the buttocks, often linked to the roundness of the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Usage: My first skateboard experience is i fell on my august 15th as soon as I stood on the board! Synonym: 八月十五Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/32249/

firm

Definition: A shortened term of the word 'confirm' in English, used to maximise communicative efficiency and to get the listener to confirm ASAP. Usage: E.g. 下個月個party既日期firm左未呀? E.g. 你下次個appointment firm左未呀? E.g. Firm左未呀?快D啦。

timing

Definition: Pronounced with a rising intonation on the second syllable, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to doing something at exactly the right time, such as a love relationship. Usage: E.g. 其實愛情都幾講timing。有時要搵啱個timing先可以喺埋一齊。Synonym: 時機Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/60469/page/1

cheung fun

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to steamed rice noodle rolls, which is a popular snack at street food vendors. However, this is not to be confused with ‘fun cheung’, which means ‘dick face’ in English. Usage: E.g. Let‘s eat some fun cheung at a Chinese restaurant! Sorry, I mean cheung fun!Synonym: 腸粉Reference: https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3318414/what-cheung-fun-different-types-chinese-rice-noodle-rolls-and-how-make-them

somehow

Definition: A way to avoid losing face or embarassment when you do not know how to answer the boss's question. However, it can be considered unprofessional if used too much at a workplace. Usage: E.g. 你:我搵過好多次,但係somehow條數搵唔到。老細:哦,係呀?(你:我搵過好多次,但係唔知點解條數搵唔到。老細:咁實有原因架喎?) E.g. 你:個printer somehow壞左呀。老細:哦。(你:個printer唔知點解壞左呀。老細:我唔想聽到唔知點解!)

chicken and duck talk

Definition: (idiom) Derived from '雞同鴨講', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe two people who are unable to understand each other due to a difference of language or values. In other words, the conversation just seems to go round and round with each person talking over each other. Usage: E.g. I think we will never understand each other because we work in different departments. What a chicken and duck talk!Synonym: 雞同鴨講Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-word-of-the-month-雞同鴨講-chicken-duck-talk/

encore

Definition: Pronounced as 'N-call', this is a code-mixing term used to get the performer to sing one more time at the end of a concert. Usage: E.g.今次演唱會唔知會ENCORE幾多次呢? E.g. Encore!!!我今次要encore到爆為止!

make sense

Definition: A convenient English phrase used by native Hong Kongers to avoid going into negative detail about someone who does not understand you. Usage: E.g. 朋友: 喂,你講野好唔make sense喎。你:真的嗎? E.g. 我覺得你講野make sense,不過我唔係太明。 E.g. 你講野都唔make sense,廢鬼事再聽你講。