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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

benz

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to the car brand Mercedes-Benz

Usage: Wow! Ban¹ ci⁴ ah!

Night King

Definition: Originated from the Cantonese movie 'Night King' starring Dayo Wong (黃子華), this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the Lai King MTR station.

Usage: E.g. A: 今晚去唔去荔景?B: 好呀。不過荔景幾時變左Night King?!(A: Want to go to Lai King tonight? B: Sure. But when did Lai King become Night King?!)

Synonym: 夜王, 荔景

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/電影/60330286/夜王-葵芳一角爆紅-港鐵葵芳站改名franchesca-仲有隱藏廣播

chi sin

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone who is crazy, or a situation that is outrageous or unbelievable. (痴線 - ci1 sin3) Literal meaning: To have your electrical wires touching. Ie. Short circuit in the brain.

Usage: E.g. Chi sin! You used all your money to gamble?! E.g. Chi sin! The restaurant gave me the wrong bill! E.g. Chi sin! You won the lottery?!!

Synonym: 痴線

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/8-colloquialisms-unique-to-cantonese

skip

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

Usage: E.g. 條題目好難。skip左先啦。

Synonym: 跳過

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

big wok

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe a situation where they are in some serious trouble. Sometimes, '大鑊' can be emphasized to a vulgar expression '大撚鑊', which literally translates to 'big penis wok' and means the person is in rather deep sh*t.

Usage: E.g. I forgot to bring my wallet! Big wok! (大鑊) E.g. Omg I lost all my money! This time is really big penis wok! (今次真係大撚鑊)

Synonym: 大鑊

Reference: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2011/03/30/ED1103300032.htm

well-received

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by grassroots Hong Kongers when they want to express gratitude for something they have received, such as an email with an attachment. However, the working class Hong Kongers realise that this is probably not such a suitable term for them to use so they say 'Noted/Received with thanks'.

Usage: E.g. Well-received with thanks.

Synonym: 收到

Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/35656/電郵技巧|商用電郵|職場英語-10個打工仔常犯的英文email錯誤-please-kindly-well-received-with-thanks-都係錯-內附正確寫法

worse

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often misused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to refer to something of bad quality.

Usage: E.g. 個湯凍嘅,真係好worse囉。

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/128449/你是否-偽abc-chill-中文意思係咩-10個港人常用錯英文字

click

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being able to like and understand someone.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得我同你click唔到。

Synonym: 相處融洽

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2736661/page/3

sauce

Definition: A code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers love to use to refer to anything that looks like a sauce.

Usage: E.g. 半唐番: 可唔可以比啲sauce我? 香港人: 唔係sauce黎架,係醋!(ABC: Can you pass me the sauce? Hong Konger: It's not sauce. It's vinegar!) E.g. 半唐番: 可唔可以比啲sauce我? 香港人: 唔係sauce黎架,係豉油!(ABC: Can you pass me the sauce? Hong Konger: It's not sauce. It's see-yau!)

Synonym: 醬

Reference: https://auntieemily.com/soy-sauce-chow-mein/

lol

Definition: Derived from the internet slang 'laugh out loud'. this is a cliche code-mixing term that has grown out of the textspeak medium into human speech. As opposed to 'lol' being such an overused term on the internet where the meaning is often not that literal, the term is used by westernised Hong Kongers to really mean laugh out loud.

Usage: E.g. 睇完套戲真係lol左。(I really laughed out loud after watching the movie!)

Synonym: 大聲笑, 撈

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