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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

ging

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term often used by the younger generation to describe something or someone as very skillful or powerful. (勁)

Usage: E.g. You won the competition?! Ho ging ah! (Very outstanding) E.g. You are so ging at basketball! (Very skillful) E.g. This computer is so ging! (Very powerful)

Synonym: 勁

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/12-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-visit-hong-kong#:~:text=An%2520alternative%2520to%2520“hou%2520ging,jeng”%2520if%2520something%2520is%2520awesome.

qualie

Definition: Pronounced as 'call-lee' with a rising tone on the second syllable, this code-mixing term is used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the English word 'qualification'. Often used together with the word 'show' to mean 'show off'.

Usage: E.g. 你冇qualie就唔好係到扮哂野啦。 E.g. 你唔好係到掛住show qualie啦,兄弟。 E.g. 睇唔出你咁有qualie喎。

vocab

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to vocabulary that they simply need to memorise for tests and exams but don't really use in their everyday life.

Usage: E.g. 另外就係成日都喺度死記硬背vocab, 好複雜咁樣教文法,聽到都頭痛。(The other thing is that we always needed to memorise vocabulary like rote-learning, and grammar is also being taught in a very complicated way, which is a headache to listen to.)

Synonym: 詞彙

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BANtUhMr8G/

gen

Definition: Derived from ‘generate’, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers like to use to refer to generating report using a computer.

Usage: E.g. 幾時gen到份report?

Synonym: 生成

Reference: https://hk.ulifestyle.com.hk/topic/detail/20052582/香港職場30個中英夾雜用語-內地網民-自己會粵語也聽不懂/1

car

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong actor 楊偉倫 to express his breadth of knowledge when the club is facing crisis in the movie of Night King.

Usage: E.g. 「我土地,學富五car,如果他朝有一日,你真的開鴨店的話,我赴湯蹈fire,做你頭牌!」(I'm Land, learned and knowledgeable like five cars. If one day you really open a male escort club, I'll brave any danger, go all out, and be your top male escort!)

Synonym: 學富五車

Reference: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/學富五車

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

gluttonous cat

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who eats so much, which is similar to 'eats like a pig' in English. (為死貓)

Usage: E.g. You eat 5 meals a day? What a gluttonous cat!

Synonym: 為食貓

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/48371

meeting

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use instead of saying '開會' or having a '會議'.

Usage: E.g. 我聽日九點鐘有個meeting。開完meeting再搵你呀?

Synonym: 會議

Reference: https://theinitium.com/roundtable/20170226-lifestyle-mix-chn-eng/

burger

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who have quite an expectation towards the price of a hamburger.

Usage: E.g. 你一個垃圾burger,要人畀過百蚊,根本冇可能長做長有。(Expecting people to pay over one hundred dollars for a trash burger is not sustainable in the long term.)

Synonym: 漢堡

Reference: https://www.edigest.hk/投資熱話/富二代-鍾培生-fiveguys-執笠-ed01-1934440/2/

hygiene

Definition: A code-mixing term that a "Jayden Mami" likes to use to refer more specifically to a person's habit in keeping clean, rather than the broader sense of cleanliness and sanitary conditions that the Cantonese equivalent term "衛生" denotes.

Usage: E.g. Jayden,你攞人啲嘢食之前有冇做好hygiene呀?(Jayden, did you have good hygiene before grabbing somebody else's food?)

Synonym: 衛生

Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/4112744/Jayden之亂|KOL拍片諷刺「Jayden媽」偽ABC育兒法%E3%80%80揭爆紅現象時間線-港媽式教仔金句

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