Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


481 results found

boss

Definition: Often pronounced as '波士', this is a more polite sounding code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to '老闆', especially when working in a corporate company. Usage: E.g. 做波士就好啦。我地呢班打工仔一世做奴隸。Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

show off

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use instead of '炫耀', which sounds too formal to be used in conversation.  Also used as 'show qualie' sometimes. Usage: E.g. 唔好成日係到show off啦。知道你勁喇。E.g. 成日講野都夾雜英文。你喺到show qualie呀?

number

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to a telephone number. Usage: E.g. 香港人:可唔可以交換number呀?內地人:咩number呀?香港人:緊係電話number啦。Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uik5GWvXiLA&t=210s

chemical reaction

Definition: A code-mixing term that Fake ABC's in Hong Kong use to refer to the 'chemistry' between two people, which is the attraction between them. Usage: E.g. 我覺得佢地都幾有chemical reaction。Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uik5GWvXiLA&t=210s

funny

Definition: A more neutral-sounding code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe someone's personality as humorous, especially when they are not sure whether to give praise to someone. Usage: E.g. 佢係mix黎既,講野個tone都幾溫柔,然後性格都幾funny吓。Synonym: 搞笑Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uik5GWvXiLA&t=210s

lang

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to refer to '靚', which describes something as beautiful or good-looking. Usage: E.g. No, but seriously it’s really lang, you are the one who said hou ce right?Reference: http://www.lingref.com/isb/4/039ISB4.PDF

tea

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong people love to use to refer to afternoon tea '下午茶'. Usage: E.g. 今日有冇時間食個tea呀? E.g. 週末不如一齊去high tea好嗎?Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

assignment

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong students use to refer to '功課'. Usage: E.g. 喂,聽日交assignment呀,仲係到做咩呀?! E.g. 呢份assignment可以借黎參考嗎?Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

professor

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong students use to refer to '教授'. Usage: E.g. 有咩唔識快D問Professor啦! E.g. Professor到未架,咁耐既?Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

laptop

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to '手提電腦'. Usage: E.g. 你部laptop用咩CPU架?好似好快喎。