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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

list

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to use instead of '列出'.

Usage: E.g. List哂D item落張紙先,然後去超市買野就唔會唔記得。

Synonym: 列出

Reference: https://www.gotrip.hk/生活/中英夾雜-港式廣東話-gt12-772959/

total

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the total amount of something, such as for goods and services.

Usage: E.g. 呢到total幾多錢呀?

Synonym: 總共

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

sell

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to an exchange of goods or services for money, but often with an extra service of persuading and pushing the customer to buy something they don't want to buy at all.

Usage: E.g. 個sales明明係sell野但係又講到唔係。(The salesperson was actually selling and pitching his product but he said he wasn't.)

Synonym: 賣野; 推廣

Reference: https://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=27464402

9up

Definition: (textspeak) Derived from '狗噏' meaning 'dog uttering', this is a Kongish code-mixing term that refers to talking non-sense, like bullsh*t. It is also often pronounced as '鳩噏' as a vulgar expression.

Usage: E.g. Stop 9up and bragging about your achievements all the time! (唔好成日喺到鳩噏車大炮啦!)

Synonym: 狗噏, 鳩噏

Reference: https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/9up

rat race

Definition: Derived from the Chinese term '內卷' and often translated as 'involution', this is an Englishised code-mixing term that describes an economic situation where excessive competition does not lead to development and innovation. This may lead to people feeling stressed, anxious, and trapped, as the two characters mean 'inside rolling'.

Usage: E.g. I'm stuck in the rat race! I'm so tired of competing with everyone just to climb the career ladder!

Synonym: 內卷

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjTg1G8rpVc

situationship

Definition: A code-mixing term that Gen Z native Hong Kongers use to describe a romantic relationship where there are low levels of commitment except for sexual behaviour.

Usage: E.g. A: 你同佢發展成點呀? B: 冇呀,只係situationship。(A: How is your relationship going? B: No, we are just a situationship.)

Synonym: 狀態戀情

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/談情說性/377560/約會新詞-situationship-已經-沉船-但不能隨便跳船

awkward

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a social situation where one feels very strange and uncomfortable, rather than an embarrassing situation where one feels ashamed or humiliated, as the Cantonese equivalent term '尷尬' can take on any of those two meanings.

Usage: E.g. 本來咁多人約左出黎食飯點知得返你地兩個,會唔會覺得好awkward? (Originally many people were going to have a meal together, but only two of you came. Did it feel awkward?)

Synonym: 尷尬

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@janemanic.english/post/DHpmw9YRm-y/很多人分不清-embarrassedembarrassing-和-awkward雖然它們都有尷尬的意思但用法不同-embarrassed-形容人的感受例如-i-?hl=zh-hk

receiver

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers use to refer to a small wireless unit that is plugged into a computer’s USB port for receiving signals for a keyboard or mouse.

Usage: E.g. 有冇見過我個receiver? 我好似唔見左。

Synonym: 接收器

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

Auntie

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to address a middle-aged woman who wants to sound younger because '姨姨' in Cantonese somehow sounds old.

Usage: E.g. A: 點解香港咁多盲毛,好多人見到女性唔係着校服嘅就叫人阿姨!尤其啲阿叔阿婆次次鳩叫。好心盲毛唔識分就叫人姐姐/小姐/阿妺!叫後生啲點都好過叫老咗呀。B: Hi Auntie. (A: Why are there so many blind idiots in Hong Kong? Many people address women as 'ah yi' whenever someone who is not wearing school uniform! Especially the uncles and grannies! Could these blind idiots say sister, miss, or sis?! Addressing someone as younger is better than old. B: Hi Auntie.)

Synonym: 姨姨; 阿姨

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2839861/page/1

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