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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 910 results

dead cow's one-sided neck

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who is so stubborn that their neck is like leaning towards one side.

Usage: E.g. Listen to us for once! Don't be always so dead cow's one-sided neck la!

Synonym: 死牛一邊頸

present

Definition: An irreplaceable code-mixing term meaning to deliver a speech, as saying the Cantonese equivalent term '匯報' would sound too old school and non-colloquial.

Usage: E.g. 你幾時要present呀? E.g. 今次份assignment難唔難present呀?

Reference: https://www.academia.edu/8666953/Common_usage_of_code-mixing_among_trilingual_Hong_Kongers

Nei g ng ng ngo kong mut?

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase used by local student Hong Kongers when they want to ask whether someone understands what they are talking about.

Usage: E.g. Nei g ng g ngo kong mut? (Do you know what I am saying?)

Synonym: 你知唔知我講乜?

Reference: https://www.socialcareer.org/blogs/do-you-really-know-cantonese

pattern

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers like to use instead of '圖案'.

Usage: E.g. 件衫個pattern幾靚喎。喺邊到買架? E.g. 同學:喂,你覺得每次D MC題目會有咩pattern呀?

Synonym: 圖案

good job

Definition: A code-mixing term used by grassroots class Hong Kongers to refer to how thoroughly cooked a steak is, which is equivalent to ‘well done’ in native English.

Usage: E.g. 個鬼佬轉另轉頭問我: whatxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx? 我好自豪 充滿自信 大大聲答: GOOD JOB!! 個鬼佬就呆哂 唔明我無啦啦做乜講GOOD JOB咁 女友見到 即刻幫我答:WELL DONE (The western waiter then asked me: whatxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx? I was proud and confident and answered loudly: GOOD JOB! The western waiter was speechless and didn't understand why I said good job. When my girlfriend saw this, she immediately helped me answer: WELL DONE)

Synonym: 全熟

Reference: https://amp.lihkg.com/thread/561255/page/1

Mouse(屎)

Definition: Often added with a 屎, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kong people use instead of 滑鼠, meaning 'slippery mouse'.

Usage: Eg. 個mouse(屎)幾靚喎。喺邊到買?

Synonym: 滑鼠

Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

BB

Definition: Often used as 'baby pig' (BB豬) in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to call their lovers.

Usage: E.g. BB豬,你買D咩生日禮物比我呀?

Synonym: 寶貝

common sense

Definition: A term that seems to originate from the English culture and can hardly be replaced by the Cantonese equivalent term '常識'.

Usage: E.g. 喂,你咁快就落搭,有冇common sense架? E.g. 一睇就知係搵笨啦,你有冇common sense架? E.g. 你好似有常識,不過冇common sense。

Synonym: 常識

Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

big wok

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe a situation where they are in some serious trouble. Sometimes, '大鑊' can be emphasized to a vulgar expression '大撚鑊', which literally translates to 'big penis wok' and means the person is in rather deep sh*t.

Usage: E.g. I forgot to bring my wallet! Big wok! (大鑊) E.g. Omg I lost all my money! This time is really big penis wok! (今次真係大撚鑊)

Synonym: 大鑊

Reference: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2011/03/30/ED1103300032.htm

ma ma dei

Definition: A romanised code-mixing term that is used to describe something, a person, or state as being so-so, or just okay in quality.

Usage: E.g. A: How was the event? B: Ma ma dei la. E.g. A: How are you today? B: Ma ma dei la. E.g. A: What do you think of this shirt? B: I think it's ma ma dei.

Synonym: 麻麻地

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-descriptive-slang-phrases

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