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

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


174 results found

carry

Definition: Purportedly to have come from online competitive gaming where a player brings his team to victory, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to helping and leading someone to achieve something. At times, it can also refer to being able to dress effectively which covers everything from head to toe, including hair.

Usage: E.g. 日系唔只著衫 要化埋妝同髮型同襯埋accessories 要full gear先會carry得到 (Japanese fashion isn't just about wearing clothes. You have to put on make-up, have a certain hairstyle as well as matching accessories. You must have full gear in order to carry this fashion.)

Synonym: 駕馭

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/475055/page/9

case

Definition: A generic code-mixing term used for a number of Chinese words meaning 'case', in order to maximise communicative efficiency.

Usage: E.g. 喂,阿John。同我follow下個case得嗎?(個案) E.g. 今次呢單case好似唔簡單。(案件) E.g. 呢個病人個case睇嚴重D喎。(病情) E.g. 我明白你個case。(情況)

Synonym: 個案; 案件

chop

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a company stamp. (公司蓋章)

Usage: E.g. 可唔可以借個chop黎用吓?

Synonym: 公司蓋章

Reference: https://paper.hket.com/article/190909/行政人員英語詞窮%20見客口啞

Dalloyau

Definition: Originated from the name of a French food company, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person's big buttocks or hitting someone's buttocks.

Usage: E.g. 香港顧客每次行過海港城或者各大商場分店,一見到個招牌就往往忍唔住用廣東話讀成「大籮柚」或者「打籮柚」,甚至連買雪糕同朱古力嗰陣都腦海自動洗腦 (Every time Hong Kong customers walk across a branch in Harbour City or a big shopping mall, they often can't help but pronounce the shop's sign as "big buttocks" or "hit buttocks" in Cantonese. Even when they are just buying ice-cream and chocolate, their minds are automatically brainwashed.)

Synonym: 大蘿柚; 打籮柚

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdwORP1km-F/?stkn=N2Y4ZXdtc3NrbWgx (use mobile version)

del

Definition: Pronounced as 'dee', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers to refer to using the 'delete' button on a keyboard to get rid of something when using the computer.

Usage: E.g. Del左呢個paragraph,再加返個conclusion,然後再send比我啦。

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

dik hon

Definition: (textspeak) Derived from comic book characters having a large drop of sweat on their forehead or hair, this is a Kongish code-mixing term that refers to feeling speechless and reticent. Dik hon (滴汗) has the literal meaning of 'drip sweat'.

Usage: E.g. Your joke is so lame! Dik hon!

Synonym: 滴汗

do

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to gestures and customs that an employee must do or learn when they work in a company.

Usage: E.g. 老細黎到仲唔識DO? 快D讓座同沖杯咖啡比佢啦! E.g. 打工仔要識DO先得,如果咪好快冇得撈。

Synonym: 做

Reference: https://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/lifestyle/archive/goodjob/23372

document

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used to refer to a computer document (文件).

Usage: E.g. 唔該你send份document過黎呀。記住要pdf喎。

Synonym: 文件

Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/mens-talk/simon-shen-hong-kong-english-chinese

down

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to computer that has become unavailable, possibly due to a crash.  Sometimes, it is used as the shortened version of 'download'.

Usage: E.g. 大獲喇!公司server down機呀!快D搵人整呀!(當機) E.g. Down完個file未呀?咁耐既?(下載)

Synonym: 當機; 下載

Reference: https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/city-university-of-hong-kong/world-englishes/lecture-3-city-university-of-hong-kongen5714-world-englishes-and-the-social-context-of/20063922

Eat Cha SIU

Definition: This is a Cantonese slang that refers to a situation where a player has a clear opportunity to score a point. The slangs origin comes from a volleyball game where a sports announcer said "Cha SIU" instead of the word "chance". Although the word came from a volleyball game initially, it's more widely used in badminton games.

Usage: That was a total set up for a smash, total Cha SIU!

Synonym: 食叉燒

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-生舊叉燒好過生你-better-to-give-birth-to-char-siu-than-you/#:~:text=Sik6%20caa1%20siu,back%20into%20its%20own%20court.

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