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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


897 results found

wok of congee

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a situation of utter chaos and mess.

Usage: E.g. Do enough planning beforehand or your project will end up in a wok of congee!

Synonym: 一鑊粥

work hard play hard

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by overseas educated Hong Kongers who suspect that Hong Kongers should think equally more about playing hard than just working hard in order to achieve work life balance.

Usage: E.g. 林作:個個都講work hard play hard,work life balance。其實work hard我都懷疑好多香港人都已經做到,但係play hard係咪真係做到? (Jo Lam: Everyone talks about work hard play hard and work life balance. In fact, I suspect many Hong Kong people can already 'work hard', but what about 'play hard'?)

Synonym: 努力工作,盡情玩樂

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@jolamchok/post/DZ7vZQvEu-N?xmt=AQG0CXq4cs_lvE9lalZblnSIMOpYE8FFkxn2iPI5ppvBkQgGVDW4mGrHcOZJpC5yTFDRogoV&slof=1

work life balance

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a job benefit that often comes with some downsides or sacrifices in order to maintain a good balance between work and leisure, such as a lower salary.

Usage: E.g. 網民A:講得出Work-life balance 嘅工多數都唔係Work-life balance (Netizen A: Jobs that say they have a work-life balance usually don't have work-life balance.) E.g. 網民H:人工低咪Work-life balance,但户口唔balance (Netizen H: If you have low salary, it means you have work-life balance, but your bank account will not have a balance.)

Synonym: 工作與生活的平衡

Reference: https://resources.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/35732/職場熱話-香港公司5日工作天就標榜自己係work-life-balance-事主-成日放工仲要覆message

work life balance

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who think that there should not be work life balance in a job.

Usage: E.g. 鍾培生:創立HKTCG呢段時間,我發現工作係唔應該有work life balance!(Derek Chung: Since founding HKTCG, I’ve realized that work shouldn't be about "work-life balance"!)

Synonym: 工作與生活平衡

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@khdcheung/post/DaLDfNyj872?xmt=AQG0d2CtkCfBLCF7_hL8i3UT_5pM4sQhmEna6BzrSZp21XK0l6N0Qcq3Yei7A41-B_gwqJk7&slof=1

written test

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a written test created by companies for job candidates, which can be easy or difficult depending on the situation. Sometimes, it can also be very 'chur' to do due to a company's limited time.

Usage: E.g. 一入到去未擺低袋就俾張紙我做 Written Test,限時 20 分鐘。(When I arrived and before I even put my bag down, they gave me a piece of paper to do a written test, which had a time limit of 20 minutes.)

Synonym: 筆試

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@sangdongizary/post/DZmtCj0mGom?xmt=AQG0EL-oDne_ejxYTHR6FJqyzY8A-PLBBPXB5uoPeZ1QqFbjVadt9K2xVmBMMoskDQMsiRJc&slof=1

yeet hay

Definition: With a literal meaning of 'hot air', this is a romanised code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to having overheat from eating too much spicy or fried foods, leading to pimples and freckles growing on your face or even buttocks. Also, yeet hay seems to only exist in Chinese medicine but not western medicine according to native Hong Kongers.

Usage: E.g. A: Do you want to eat barbeque? B: No thanks, I am very yeet hay recently.

Synonym: 熱氣

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/C7PVDJZpVgq/ (use mobile version)

ying

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe something or someone that is cool, handsome, or stylish. (型 - ying4)

Usage: E.g. Wa! You look so ying today! (型)

Synonym: 型

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/8-colloquialisms-unique-to-cantonese

zhen garn

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term that is derived from '陣間', which means a while later.

Usage: E.g. Zhen garn lunch go ng go sing K?

Synonym: 陣間

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/283411/大學生打字用火星文-10句港式英文拼音大挑戰-測試你識幾多

AA

Definition: Often used as 'AA制' (policy), this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to paying for yourself at a meal. (Also known as 'going Dutch' in English)

Usage: E.g. 今餐AA制得唔得呀?

Synonym: 食自己, 自己比

add oil

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that Hong Kongers use to cheer for somebody else as encouragement or support when they are bored of the equivalent term '加油' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. Add oil! 希望你今次考試高分!

Synonym: 加油

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