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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


726 results found

alma mater

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to the school that a person had graduated from. However, working class and grassroots Hong Kongers may know this term but not use it because it sounds too Latin than English. Hence, they find ‘mother school’ is more sensible and practical to use.

Usage: E.g. 你既alma mater係邊間學校?

Synonym: 母校, mother school

Reference: https://youtube.com/shorts/Br8CWgYQNak?si=aFaIMvdv2YSnCxvh

wai wai wai

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to forming inner circles and having decisions made by its members.

Usage: E.g. You think they are really inviting a bid? They are just wai wai wai!

Synonym: 圍威喂

Reference: https://words.hk/zidin/圍威喂

skip

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to bypassing or avoiding something quickly. It is also often less intentional and deliberate than the Cantonese equivalent term '跳過' and tends to be done without much thinking.

Usage: E.g. 正常人每日第一餐必定是早餐,若然經常skip,會打亂人體生物鐘及削弱身體機能,抵抗力自然變差。(For normal people, breakfast is always the first meal of the day. If you often skip it, it will disrupt your body's biological clock and weaken your bodily functions, naturally making your resistance weaker.)

Synonym: 跳過

Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/記性差-原來關早餐事-044500693.html

gym

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to exercise done in the gym. Even though it is often used as '做gym' (do gym), it is not to be confused with 'doing the gym' because the gym is actually the place where people do exercise in native English.

Usage: E.g. 想唔想一齊做gym? (Want to work out / do exercise in the gym together?)

Synonym: 健身; 健身室; 健身室運動

Reference: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/做gym

I am very thanks them

Definition: Often described as comparable to the English level of a primary school chicken, this is a code-mixing phrase used by the Hong Kong celebrity Stephy Tang (鄧麗欣) to express sincere gratitude towards other people.

Usage: E.g. Reporter: Tell me what you are wearing. Stephy: This is Vivienne Westwood. So I am very happy they give me that dress from England. So I am very thanks them.

Synonym: 我係好多謝佢地

Reference: https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/鄧麗欣

team work

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong celebrity tutors to refer to a collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal.

Usage: E.g. 狀元培育向來都是team work. (Nurturing top scorers has always been team work.)

Synonym: 團體合作

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRGmhTQjT1N/?igsh=NWtoNHZ6OGRyOW8x (use mobile version)

proud of

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

selling point

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a feature or quality of a product that persuades people to buy it. Compared to '賣點' in Cantonese, selling point can often extend to services and people, and can refer to personal attractiveness or uniqueness.

Usage: E.g. 以前佢地D selling point 係聽話忠誠 (Their selling point used to be that they were willing to listen and loyal to their customers.)

Synonym: 賣點

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3746011/page/2

snake king

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to slacking off at work.

Usage: E.g. Don't be such a snake king all the time! Get some work done!

Synonym: 蛇王

burger

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who have quite an expectation towards the price of a hamburger.

Usage: E.g. 你一個垃圾burger,要人畀過百蚊,根本冇可能長做長有。(Expecting people to pay over one hundred dollars for a trash burger is not sustainable in the long term.)

Synonym: 漢堡

Reference: https://www.edigest.hk/投資熱話/富二代-鍾培生-fiveguys-執笠-ed01-1934440/2/

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