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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


880 results found

loop

Definition: A code-mixing term meaning to replay or do something over and over again. (verb)

Usage: E.g. 喂,就算首歌好正都唔洗狂loop嘛? E.g. 知道你大學畢業英文勁喇。唔洗成日loop比我聽嘛?

lounge

Definition: Often pronounced as 'launch', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to a club lounge in a hotel.

Usage: E.g. 唔該,請問個lounge喺邊?我想搵個位坐吓先。

Synonym: 休息聽

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mz8kUbNcMw

low b

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that Hong Kongers use to refer to having low intelligence or being stupid. Also used as '低B' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. 唔好咁low b係到周圍大叫啦! E.g. 低B仔,你係咪仲未get要做咩呀?

Synonym: 低B

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

low pay leave

Definition: A code-mixing term used by grassroots Hong Kongers to refer to “no pay leave” or non-paid leave.

Usage: E.g. 請唔到病假咪請low pay leave囉! (no pay leave)

Synonym: 無薪假期

low tech

Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is very unadvanced 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. '撈' refers to '有得撈', which means you can earn a living.

Usage: E.g. 今時今日唔可以再咁low tech架喇。快D買返部智能手機啦。

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

Lunch

Definition: A fashionable way of referring to lunch in Cantonese.

Usage: Eg. 喂,不如一齊食lunch呀?Eg. 放lunch想食D咩呀?

Synonym: 午餐

Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

LV

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to refer to the famous French luxury brand ‘Louis Vuitton’. However, the grassroots class Hong Kongers may pronounce it as ‘eh-lo-wee’.

Usage: A:你最想買邊隻手袋呀?B:唔洗問緊係LV啦。(A: Which handbag do you want to buy? B: No need to ask. Must be LV.)

Synonym: Louis Vuitton

Reference: https://amp.lihkg.com/thread/3065984/page/1

m

Definition: A euphemistic code-mixing term that refers to 'menstruation' in English.  However, it is also used as 'M記' to refer to McDonald\'s.

Usage: E.g. 唔好話我聽兒家先黎M麻? E.g. 今次真係M到阿媽都唔認得喇!E.g. 今日又食M記?唔好喇掛!

mai daan

Definition: A romanised Cantonese phrase that westernised Hong Kongers use to ask the waiter to get the bill.

Usage: E.g. Mai daan, mm goi! (埋單, 唔該!)

Synonym: 埋單

Reference: https://homekong.com.hk/blogs/read/helpful-cantonese-phrases-to-know

make sense

Definition: A convenient English phrase used by native Hong Kongers to avoid going into negative detail about someone who does not understand you.

Usage: E.g. 朋友: 喂,你講野好唔make sense喎。你:真的嗎? E.g. 我覺得你講野make sense,不過我唔係太明。 E.g. 你講野都唔make sense,廢鬼事再聽你講。

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