Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More | Downloads | Lectures | Videos |
Instagram Instagram
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


782 results found

expect

Definition: A generic term for a number of different Chinese words of equivalent meaning, sometimes used to tone down your directness and also to maximise communicative efficiency. Usage: E.g. 老師: 老師唔expect你100分,不過盡左力就得喇。(要求) E.g. 朋友: 今日係我生日。我expect你都比下面掛。(預料) E.g. 我冇expect過今次考試會考成咁。(預期) E.g. 上司對你冇咩expectation,總之搞掂D野就得喇。(期望)Synonym: 要求; 預料; 預期; 期望

revamp

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers often use to refer to changing something in order to improve or make it new again, such as a website. Usage: E.g. 個website做revamp要幾耐?Synonym: 翻新

follow

Definition: A classic code-mixing term often used with the word 'case' to get someone to follow up on something in a professional manner.  However, it is now often associated with the 'follow' used in social media. Usage: E.g. 唔該同我follow吓個case呀。 E.g. 呢個case follow成點呀? E.g. 快D follow我個IG啦!Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

stand firm

Definition: An Englishised code-mixing term made popular by the phrase '一齊企硬唔Take嘢' (Stand firm together and don't take drugs), which was a slogan used by an anti-drug campaign launched by the Security Bureau in Hong Kong and is now imitated by many companies to sell their own products. Usage: E.g. 一齊企硬eat車仔麵。(Stand firm together and eat cart noodles.)Synonym: 企硬Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWFz2k6GXcF/ (use mobile version)

chok

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to pulling a face that looks pretentious in order to look cool. Usage: E.g. 林峯:你睇吓我個樣夠唔夠chok?!Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-hea-chok-chur/

frankly speaking

Definition: A code-mixing term that is used when you really care not to offend someone. Usage: E.g. Frankly speaking呢,我覺得你唔夠quali囉。 E.g. Frankly speaking呢,我對你既印象麻麻地囉。 E.g. Frankly speaking呢,我覺得你好扮野囉。

nine not following eight

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that refers to giving irrelevant responses to questions. Usage: E.g. A:你去邊? B:我知道。A:Nine not following eight!Synonym: 九唔搭八Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-nine-not-following-eight/

in

Definition: (adj.) A code-mixing term used to describe someone or something as being very trendy. Usage: E.g. 哇,你今日著得好IN呀。 E.g. 聽返D流行音樂,咁先夠IN架嘛。 E.g. 做後生仔要夠IN先得架嘛。Synonym: 潮

invoice

Definition: The Hong Kong way of referring to the invoice sent to customers, as '發票' is rarely used. Usage: E.g. 張invoice send左比個客未呀? E.g. 喂,你咁快send左invoice黎係咪想追我數呀?Synonym: 發票

Let's say

Definition: A way to avoid sounding too imaginative when you want to suggest things that are impossible to happen. Usage: E.g. Let’s say你有日比人老粒左,你會點呢? E.g. Let’s say你考試肥佬左,你會點面對你家人? E.g. Let's say你比人打獲金,你會唔會還拖?
Define Your Term | Learn More