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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


926 results found

heavy

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe the feeling of eating too much.

Usage: E.g. 食完打邊爐再飲咖啡會好heavy。

Synonym: 好腬

hello

Definition: Often pronounced as 'ha-lo', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers often use to greet somebody instead of '你好', which sounds too formal sometimes.

Usage: E.g. Ha-lo,我叫Peter。你叫咩名?

Synonym: 哈佬

high

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used by native Hong Kongers to refer to getting high or excited.

Usage: E.g. 尋晚唱K唱到好high。 E.g. 你咪成日喺到自high啦。

high tea

Definition: A code-mixing term that upper class Hong Kongers love to use to refer to ‘下午茶’, which is afternoon tea.

Usage: E.g. 今日下晝有冇時間high tea呀? E.g. High唔high tea呀你? (下午茶)

Synonym: 下午茶

high tech

Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is advanced 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.

Usage: E.g. 哇,張枱有自動升降好high tech呀。

Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf

hit

Definition: Pronounced as 'heet' (long vowel), this is a code-mixing term that refers to something being very successful or popular.

Usage: E.g. 呢套戲好hit呀。快D睇啦。 E.g. 呢首歌又好似hit返喇喎。

ho dor

Definition: (textspeak) Transliterated from ‘好多’ meaning ‘a lot’ or ‘many’, this is a Kongish code-mixing term used by local student Hong Kongers to complain about the excess of homework.

Usage: E.g. Ho dor gong for ah! (好多功課呀!)

Synonym: 好多

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/

hold

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。

Synonym: 揸

Reference: https://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/item/cuhk-321644

Holland Ben 7

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers when one feels embarassed about something stupid that he has done but still wishes to admit it honestly. While the phrase is English-sounding with Holland being a western country and Ben being an English name, it is actually homophonous with '好撚笨柒' in Cantonese, which has the literal meaning of 'very f***ing stupid penis'.

Usage: E.g. I forgot my wallet at home! I am Holland Ben 7!

Synonym: 好撚笨柒, Holland Bank Cheque

How's it going?

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that real ABC's like to use to show that they are friendly and easy to talk to.  Sometimes, a 'man' is added to the end of the phrase for emphasis.

Usage: E.g. 喂,how's it going?近排幾好嗎? E.g. How's it going man?!今晚得閒去bar嗎?

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