62 results found
Definition: Known as Kongish and a much stronger version of 'chi sin' (痴線), this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers describe someone who is crazy, or a situation that is outrageous or unbelievable. (黐孖筋 - ci1 maa1 gan1) Literal meaning: To have your twin wires sticking together, causing short circuit in the brain.
Usage: E.g. Why did you scold me?! Are you chi ma gun??!!
E.g. Chi ma gun! Don't dare to drive after drinking alchohol again!!Synonym: 黐孖筋
Definition: A code-mixing term used by the upper class Hong Kongers to refer to the Italian luxury brand. However, the grassroots Hong Kongers pronounce it as '飛甩雞毛', which means the chicken dropping its feathers.
Usage: E.g. Ａ：你著緊咩牌子？飛甩雞毛？Ｂ：係Ferragamo呀。Synonym: 飛甩雞毛
Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to working overtime. Sometimes, it is used as '冬OT' (winter OT), which means 'don't OT'.
Usage: E.g. Ａ：死喇，咁多野做。唔知今晚要OT到幾時呢？Ｂ：冬ＯＴ！Synonym: 加班Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html
Definition: A code-mixing phrase that is used by Hong Kongers to mean that they are ready to go to work whenever they get a call from their company.
Usage: E.g. 我每星期工作五天。不過我假日都要on call。
Definition: A code-mixing phrase that is often mistakened as grammatically incorrect due to the word 'very' being considered redundant, as 'delicious' already denotes the meaning of very yummy. However, it originates from '好好味' in Cantonese, which means 'very very tasty'.
Usage: E.g. 哇，Ｄ野食真係very delicious呀。Synonym: 好好味
Definition: A nicer-sounding phrase than '重複檢查' or '檢查兩次', which means to check again or check two times.
Usage: E.g. 每次考試時記住double check份卷。
Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is very unadvanced in technology. There is a famous quote that goes "High Tech揩野，Low Tech撈野", which describes the volatility of high-tech products as opposed to low-tech products that have a larger market despite high competition. '撈' refers to '有得撈', which means you can earn a living.
Usage: E.g. 今時今日唔可以再咁low tech架喇。快D買返部智能手機啦。Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf
Definition: A slightly more polite sounding code-mixing term that real ABC's in Hong Kong like to use instead the Cantonese equivalent '大佬', meaning 'big brother', even though the literal meaning is usually not taken when used, just like the word 'dude'.
Usage: E.g. Dude，你係到搞D咩呀？
E.g. Dude，你好還錢喇喎？
E.g. Dude，你以為你自己好型呀？Synonym: 大佬
Definition: A code-mixing term used to refer to holding something physically (揸), but with the meaning of waiting for the return of something as well.
Usage: E.g. Hold住個電話先。
E.g. 個project兒家hold住左，因為要同個客傾返好先。Reference: https://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/item/cuhk-321644
