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Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person who is a yellow-skinned Asian but speaks English very well. I.e. Yellow on the outside but white on the inside like a bamboo stick. (竹升)
Usage: E.g. Please don’t treat me like a bamboo stick! (竹升) I know how to speak Chinese!
Synonym: 竹升
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to money and lots of different things.
Usage: E.g. Blow water. (吹水 - to chat casually or brag about something) E.g. Measure water. (磅水 - to give money) E.g. Return water. (回水 - to return money) E.g. Clear water. (通水 - to give secret info like a test) E.g. Draw water. (抽水 - to get profit or benefit for free) E.g. One lump of water. (一舊水 - one hundred dollars) E.g. What water? (乜水 - who the heck are you?)
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who is dumb, inexperienced, and immature.
Usage: E.g. Pay attention to what the person who is saying during the meeting! Stop acting like a primary school chicken!
Synonym: 小學雞
Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now?utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_medium=instagram&utm_source=dash+hudson&utm_content=www.instagra (use mobile version)
Definition: (vulgar) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to call someone a bastard or son of a bitch. Also has the meaning of gigolo, which originated from Fuzhou in China. (契弟)
Usage: E.g. You are dead meat, sworn brother! (契弟) E.g. Oh gosh we are doomed. This time we are gonna be sworn brothers. (做契弟） E.g. So you’ve been treating me like a sworn brother all along? （當我契弟） E.g. Sworn brother walks slowly. （契弟走得摩）
Synonym: 契弟
Reference: https://baike.baidu.hk/item/%E5%A5%91%E5%BC%9F/7349815
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe a situation where there is a scene or fight going on between people, and you are just excited to watch what will happen as a bystander. '食住花生等睇戲' can be shortened to '食花生' sometimes.
Usage: E.g. I have never seen people argue like this over Whatsapp! Let's eat peanuts while waiting to watch a film!
Synonym: 食住花生等睇戲
Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing idiom used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who refuses to concede despite knowing that they made the mistake in the first place. '死雞撐飯蓋' can also be shortened to '死撐' sometimes.
Usage: E.g. You know you've done wrong! Stop being like a dead chicken propping up the rice cooker lid!
Synonym: 死雞撐飯蓋
Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who only knows how to eat rice and nothing else. ie. A useless person.
Usage: E.g. He is so useless like a rice bucket!
Synonym: 飯桶
Definition: A chique sounding code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to refer to going on a trip without quite knowing the particular destination.
Usage: E.g. A: 今次假期又去邊到呀? B: 唔知呀，我鍾意去呢到travel吓，又去嗰到travel吓，總之去到邊就邊囉。(A: Where will you go this holiday? B: I don't know. I just like to travel here and travel there, just wherever I travel then where I go.)
Synonym: 旅遊
Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to describe going on a trip by oneself without sounding so alone or single.
Usage: E.g. 放假時我比較鍾意solo trip，因為咩都唔洗煩。(I like going on solo trips during holiday because I don't need to bother with anything else.)
Synonym: 單獨旅行, 獨旅
Reference: https://www.elle.com.hk/life/solo-trip
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who does not know anyone. Originated from a game similar to Rummikub where pulling cards should add up to nine, but not over. Otherwise, the player will lose the game.
Usage: E.g. I have never been to this event before! Everyone was like 'three does not know seven'!
Synonym: 三唔識七
Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms