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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 910 results

leung

Definition: Purportedly to have come from ‘娘’ meaning an old married woman, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone’s appearance as old-fashioned.

Usage: E.g. 你今日著衫好leung!(You dress very old-fashioned today!)

Synonym: 娘

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?14,140076,140076

frankly speaking

Definition: A code-mixing term that is used when you really care not to offend someone.

Usage: E.g. Frankly speaking呢,我覺得你唔夠quali囉。 E.g. Frankly speaking呢,我對你既印象麻麻地囉。 E.g. Frankly speaking呢,我覺得你好扮野囉。

training

Definition: A code-mixing term that is more appropriate to use than the equivalent term (培訓)in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 你新黎既話,公司係會有training比你。 E.g. A:我今晚要培訓呀。B:吓?你陪邊個呀?!(陪訓)

Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

foodie

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers that refers to a person who loves food and likes to try different kinds of food. However, it is often used as a term similar to the level of a gourmet even though the person may not be a food expert.

Usage: E.g. 而家啲ig foodie以為自己真係食評家。(Nowadays the foodies on IG really think they are real gourmets.)

Synonym: 美食愛好者

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2093295/page/1

wok of congee

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a situation of utter chaos and mess.

Usage: E.g. Do enough planning beforehand or your project will end up in a wok of congee!

Synonym: 一鑊粥

as long as

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers to emphasize the duration of time that an event is happening which is probably not coming to an end so soon.

Usage: E.g. 總之as long as我係你個上司,你就要聽我講既野。(In short, as long as I am your superior, you have to listen to what I say.)

Synonym: 只要

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/100094319732462/posts/簡單總結返尋日live-1-租務改革令租客更難租樓難言對經濟整體有正面影響2-對於hong-kong-scouser嘅campaign-我哋認為同我地bno平權/689410454212940/

cancer

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers like to use to refer to a serious disease that kills normal cells and causes death.

Usage: E.g. A:唔好食咁多公仔麵,如果咪生cancer架。B:啋過你把口!

Synonym: 癌

Reference: https://www.threads.net/@hongtonese/post/C8zlfwZytLZ

office

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to use instead of '辦公室'.

Usage: E.g. 聽日返office定係work from home呀?

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

wat gei

Definition: Known as Kongish and having the literal meaning of 'bend machine', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to having overly powerful ability to do something.

Usage: E.g. You must be wat gei in this game because you practice all the time!

Synonym: 屈機

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-cantonese-slang-internet

end up

Definition: A euphemistic way of refering to the end of something, as saying something is at a final stage is considered bad luck in Cantonese sometimes.

Usage: E.g. 唔知佢end up會做D咩呢? E.g. 上次個project end up成點呀? E.g. 佢上個暑假end up左去台灣。

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