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


442 results found

strat

Definition: Originated from the word 'start', this is a code-mixing term used by the Hong Kong government to refer to the starting point of a running track.

Usage: E.g. 再有政府設施串錯英文。「起點」英文串法由正確的「Start」變為「Strat」。(There is an English word mispelled in a government facility again. The word "Start" became "Strat".)

Synonym: 起點, start

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWMLrukj_sZ/?igsh=d2NkZXFvN3AycjZt (use mobile version)

laugh die me

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that refers to something that is so funny that one can die from having too much laughter.

Usage: E.g. Laugh die me喇!真係好搞笑呀。(笑死我)

Synonym: 笑死我

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/tag/kongish/

copy

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers like to use to refer to a duplicate of something, such as a document.

Usage: E.g. 份document整多幾份copy黎呀,唔該。

Synonym: 副本

unjoy

Definition: A code-mixing term that the Hong Kong celebrity '肥媽' like to use to refer to enjoying oneself on the stage by shaking along music or rhythm.

Usage: E.g. 上到舞台一定要unjoy!

worse

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often misused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to refer to something of bad quality.

Usage: E.g. 個湯凍嘅,真係好worse囉。

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/128449/你是否-偽abc-chill-中文意思係咩-10個港人常用錯英文字

exposure

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being able to gain experience of something by being in a particular environment rather than having physical contact with something. However, it is not to be confused with public exposure.

Usage: E.g. 學習語言要夠exposure。(Learning a language needs enough exposure.) E.g. 做開大行去細行一定唔慣,exposure 又細啲,資源又小啲。(It must be hard getting used to working in a small company if you came from a large company. There is less exposure and resources are also less.)

Synonym: 接觸

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2363704/page/1

start film

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to starting a fight.

Usage: E.g. This is a school! Don't start a film here!

Synonym: 開片

kai

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to someone who is silly and stupid. ie. An imbecile.

Usage: E.g. 唔好成日咁KAI喺到亂咁嗌啦!你係低能定係白痴架?! E.g. Don't be so kai yelling all the time! Are you low b or an idiot?

two beat six

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to an incompetent person of low status. It is the first part of the allegorical saying '未夠斤兩‘, which means the person is not qualified. Since 2 + 6 taels = half catty, it means the person is not much in catty and taels.

Usage: E.g. You two beat six should not be part of our group!

Synonym: 二打六

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/41660/

good job

Definition: A code-mixing term used by grassroots class Hong Kongers to refer to how thoroughly cooked a steak is, which is equivalent to ‘well done’ in native English.

Usage: E.g. 個鬼佬轉另轉頭問我: whatxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx? 我好自豪 充滿自信 大大聲答: GOOD JOB!! 個鬼佬就呆哂 唔明我無啦啦做乜講GOOD JOB咁 女友見到 即刻幫我答:WELL DONE (The western waiter then asked me: whatxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx? I was proud and confident and answered loudly: GOOD JOB! The western waiter was speechless and didn't understand why I said good job. When my girlfriend saw this, she immediately helped me answer: WELL DONE)

Synonym: 全熟

Reference: https://amp.lihkg.com/thread/561255/page/1

Define Your Term | Learn More
Feel free to send your comments and suggestions to info@megaexplorer.net.