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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


636 results found

Q-train

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to the new generation of electric multiple unit trains in the Hong Kong MTR produced by CRRC Qingdao Sifang.

Usage: E.g. 成型友大嗌Q train萬歲,搞到我差D以為Q train有還不完的恩情。(My friends kept shouting "Long live Q train!" which almost made me think Q train had an endless debt of gratitude to repay.)

Synonym: 市區綫願景列車

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@mr_luck_kinda_sucks/post/DWc9xJUk5qx?xmt=AQF05j-tBGLeYI6vBDAQQ-VN1sIrTbCEBlqWN97wggHxlDpvP-bUA91RIuhOZeQCanqxrsU&slof=1

qualie

Definition: Pronounced as 'call-lee' with a rising tone on the second syllable, this code-mixing term is used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the English word 'qualification'. Often used together with the word 'show' to mean 'show off'.

Usage: E.g. 你冇qualie就唔好係到扮哂野啦。 E.g. 你唔好係到掛住show qualie啦,兄弟。 E.g. 睇唔出你咁有qualie喎。

queue

Definition: A code-mixing term used by a Jayden Mami as a more precise and technical way of referring to an ordered waiting line. Also, it is often complemented with the English word 'long' to exaggerate the lengthiness of a queue when scolding a child.

Usage: E.g. 講咗呢啲holiday就係咁多人queue,條queue就係咁long嘅,冇可能你自己乜嘢都玩晒㗎嘛,係咪呀Jayden?(I have already said these holidays should have so many people queuing up. The queue is just that long, do you know you cannot play everything yourself, right Jayden?)

Synonym: 隊;龍

Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/4112744/Jayden之亂|KOL拍片諷刺「Jayden媽」偽ABC育兒法%E3%80%80揭爆紅現象時間線-港媽式教仔金句

quota

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to one's limit of something, such as how much food one can eat.

Usage: E.g. 食野要有quota,尤其係生野。 E.g. 我望手機有quota,因為我始終年紀大。

Reference: https://www.gotrip.hk/生活/中英夾雜-港式廣東話-gt12-772959/

r

Definition: Often pronounced as ‘ah-lo’, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to the letter ‘r’. Even though some Hong Kongers are aware of the prestigious ‘r’ that is pronounced rhotically, most of them choose not to say it in social situations because it sounds too pretentious like a fake American born Chinese.

Usage: E.g. 去日本旅行要搭JR。(Going on vacation in Japan needs taking the J Ah-lo.) E.g. 請問MTR喺邊到? (May I ask where is the M-tee-ah-lo?)

Synonym: Ah-lo

raise flag

Definition: Used as '立flag', this is a code-mixing term used by local student Hong Kongers to refer to being very vocal about what you want to do, but end up doing something that is completely opposite.

Usage: E.g. 佢又立flag話以後會減肥,點知佢就走左食buffet。

Synonym: 立flag

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now

realise

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they become aware of a situation and understand it so that they can learn from it and make a wise decision next time.

Usage: E.g. 你唔realise第一間既loss又點樣低價買入第二間? (If you don't realise the loss of your first house, then how can you buy the second one at a low price?)

Synonym: 意識;領悟;發覺

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3638415/page/8

recap

Definition: A highly efficient code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use when they want to do a short summary of what happened in a period of time without sounding so repetitive, old school and verbose as '概括重述' denotes.

Usage: E.g. 不如我地一齊recap一下今個week做左咩?(What about doing a recap of what we did this week?)

Synonym: 概括重述

Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20052634/香港職場中英夾雜用語-內地網民舉30個例子-表示識粵語都無法理解

receiver

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers use to refer to a small wireless unit that is plugged into a computer’s USB port for receiving signals for a keyboard or mouse.

Usage: E.g. 有冇見過我個receiver? 我好似唔見左。

Synonym: 接收器

refer

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to recommend a candidate for a vacant position.

Usage: E.g. 如果你識到朋友做呢行,可以refer佢比我地嗎?

Synonym: 推薦, 介紹

Reference: https://goop.ai/topic/2r3f/尋英文補習教學partner

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