Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


320 results found

mood

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use instead of the Cantonese equivalent '心情'. Usage: E.g. 今日出面咁多人咁迫,真係冇咩mood行街。Synonym: 心情Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

tissue

Definition: Pronounced as 'tee-suu', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers have grown up with and got used to instead of the equivalent term in Cantonese. Usage: E.g. 請問有冇tissue呀?。E.g. 唔該比張tissue黎呀,唔該。

miss

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers often use to refer to having missed something, such as a bus or a deadline. Usage: E.g. 哎呀,我miss左最後班車喇!\nE.g. 唔知miss左deadline會點呢?

jumpy

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a CV or resume that has a work history of many different jobs in a short period of time. Usage: E.g. HR:你份CV太jumpy喇!D公司睇到唔會想見你!

claim

Definition: This is a code-mixing term used to refer to claiming money.  However, it is often pronounced as 'kam' by grassroot class Hong Kongers. Usage: E.g. 請問讀完個course有冇得kam返d錢架? E.g. 請問d飯錢可唔可以問返公司kam架?Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

easy

Definition: A jubilant, nonchalant way of showing off to your friends. Used together with 'juice' in Cantonese. Usage: E.g. 哎呀!今次唔洗溫書都實pass啦!Easy汁啦!

encore

Definition: Pronounced as 'N-call', this is a code-mixing term used to get the performer to sing one more time at the end of a concert. Usage: E.g.今次演唱會唔知會ENCORE幾多次呢? E.g. Encore!!!我今次要encore到爆為止!

peng di

Definition: A romanised Cantonese phrase used by foreigners to bargain in a wet market, in order to get a bigger deal or low price. A 'la' is also usually added at the end for emphasis. Usage: E.g. This is fifty dollars? Peng di la!Synonym: 平DReference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

firm

Definition: A shortened term of the word 'confirm' in English, used to maximise communicative efficiency and to get the listener to confirm ASAP. Usage: E.g. 下個月個party既日期firm左未呀? E.g. 你下次個appointment firm左未呀? E.g. Firm左未呀?快D啦。

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。