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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


99 results found

play study watch

Definition: A set of code-mixing verbs that a Jayden Mami likes to forcefully use to educate their children on how to spend their time wisely on leisure and work. Usage: E.g. Jayden呀,Mami told you 唔好成日掛住play,要study多啲,同埋do完哂啲homework先watch TV啦!(Jayden, Mami told you not to always play, you need to study more, and you should finish your homework before you watch TV!)Synonym: 玩; 讀書; 睇Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXDXFJxzrUw/ (use mobile version)

say thank you

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that a Jayden Mami likes to repeatedly use to order their children to show gratitude to someone. Usage: E.g. Katherine, 人地比野你, 你要講 thank you, 你要say thank you, 快D say thank you. (Katherine, when people give you something, you need to say thank you, you have to say thank you. Say thank you quickly!)Synonym: 講多謝Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVAkhPqj83Z/ (use mobile version)

ferragamo

Definition: A code-mixing term used by the upper class Hong Kongers to refer to the Italian luxury brand. However, the grassroots Hong Kongers pronounce it as '飛甩雞毛', which means the chicken dropping its feathers. Usage: E.g. A:你著緊咩牌子?飛甩雞毛?B:係Ferragamo呀。Synonym: 飛甩雞毛

flower bridge corn taxi

Definition: (vulgar, offensive) An Englishised code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers love to get their Asian parents to say in order to show others it is amusing. However, some Hong Kongers may not find it is that funny because the pronunciation of the Cantonese equivalent words '花橋粟米的士' only roughly resembles 'f*** you suck my d*ck', which means it is kind of a broken joke. Usage: E.g. Mommy, point to the camera and say 'flower bridge corn taxi'!Synonym: 花橋粟米的士Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DQ214-EgFps/ (use mobile version)

workload

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to an amount of work in a less quantifiable way, in order to sound less like they are complaining about how much work or burden they have. Usage: E.g. 仲有task要做?我最近已經多左workload。(There are still tasks to do? I already have more workload recently.)Synonym: 工作量Reference: https://www.baby-kingdom.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=23644122

sup

Definition: A salutation often used by real ABC Hong Kongers to ask how somebody is doing. However, it is often overused by Fake ABC's to strike a western impression on others. (Also used as "what's up") Usage: E.g. 喂,sup man? E.g. 偽ABC:Sup man, sup, sup, sup...人們:得喇。唔好成日唔係又sup又喺到sup啦。好煩呀。

update

Definition: A verb-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe someone or something as being very up-to-date. However, it is also sometimes used as a verb. Usage: E.g. 你部手機好update喎。(adj.) E.g. Update左個software未呀?(verb)Synonym: 潮; 更新Reference: https://www.inmediahk.net/中英夾雜

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!

shopping

Definition: A chic-sounding code-mixing term used in Hong Kong Cantonese that shows the speaker's education background and western appeal. Usage: E.g. 唔好意思,我週末要去shopping。唔得閒應酬你。 E.g. 做人唔shop下ping邊得呀?Synonym: 購物Reference: https://sites.google.com/site/hongkonglinguistics/Downhome/language-contact-in-hong-kong/cantonese-englishintra-sententialcode-switchinginhongkong

moment

Definition: Originated from a Steven Chow movie, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe a brief period of time where one wants to unleash his potential. (瞬間) Usage: E.g. 我醬爆感覺到,喺呢個moment,要爆喇Synonym: 瞬間Reference: https://www.hk01.com/電影/46299/愛-回帶-少林足球-醬爆-變漲爆-何文輝愈撈愈掂
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