Instagram
English | Chinese
888 results found
Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers when they want to show how pleased they are towards someone’s achievements, but want to sound less show-off or exaggerated about their feeling.
Usage: E.g. 你考試咁高分，我好proud of你呀。(You scored so high in the exam. I am so proud of you.)
Synonym: 驕傲，自豪
Reference: https://www.threads.com/@grace_interest_english/post/DDthgzMyHsU
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe strenuous tasks that are almost impossible to complete.
Usage: E.g. Getting my son to do homework is like pulling a cow up the tree!
Synonym: 拉牛上樹
Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms
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
Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by a Jayden Mami to order their children to put away their phones authoritatively.
Usage: E.g. Jayden，媽咪 told you 㗎，講咗唔好睇咁耐 phone 呀，你對 eye 會好 tired 㗎！快啲 put away your phone，過嚟 finish 咗你份 homework 佢！(Jayden, Mami told you not to look at your phone for too long, or else your eyes will be very tired! Put away your phone quickly and come here to finish your homework!)
Synonym: 收埋你個電話
Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXEBuVCDlpu/ (use mobile version)
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to tell the other person to bring it on! (放馬過來)
Usage: E.g. I am not afraid of playing against you. Put your horse to me!
Synonym: 放馬過來
Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?3,139574,139575
Definition: A code-mixing term used by a Jayden Mami as a more precise and technical way of referring to an ordered waiting line. Also, it is often complemented with the English word 'long' to exaggerate the lengthiness of a queue when scolding a child.
Usage: E.g. 講咗呢啲holiday就係咁多人queue，條queue就係咁long嘅，冇可能你自己乜嘢都玩晒㗎嘛，係咪呀Jayden？(I have already said these holidays should have so many people queuing up. The queue is just that long, do you know you cannot play everything yourself, right Jayden?)
Synonym: 隊；龍
Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/4112744/Jayden之亂｜KOL拍片諷刺「Jayden媽」偽ABC育兒法%E3%80%80揭爆紅現象時間線-港媽式教仔金句
Definition: Often pronounced as ‘ah-lo’, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to the letter ‘r’. Even though some Hong Kongers are aware of the prestigious ‘r’ that is pronounced rhotically, most of them choose not to say it in social situations because it sounds too pretentious like a fake American born Chinese.
Usage: E.g. 去日本旅行要搭JR。(Going on vacation in Japan needs taking the J Ah-lo.) E.g. 請問MTR喺邊到? (May I ask where is the M-tee-ah-lo?)
Synonym: Ah-lo
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
Definition: A highly efficient code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use when they want to do a short summary of what happened in a period of time without sounding so repetitive, old school and verbose as '概括重述' denotes.
Usage: E.g. 不如我地一齊recap一下今個week做左咩？(What about doing a recap of what we did this week?)
Synonym: 概括重述
Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20052634/香港職場中英夾雜用語-內地網民舉30個例子-表示識粵語都無法理解
Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the process of finding an employee's former colleagues or managers to verify their job history, which can sometimes be very tedious.
Usage: E.g. 我就唔驚reference check去check我過去表現，但要我搵人做reference check 就好煩，尤其係個HR係咁催我交人 (I am not afraid of reference checks that check my past job performance, but asking me to find someone to do the reference check is very annoying, especially if the HR is urging me to hand over the person.)
Synonym: 資歷查核
Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3576674/page/1