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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


495 results found

That's why

Definition: Often repeated after '所以' (so) in Cantonese, this is to reinforce what this speaker is trying to explain, especially in a work situation.

Usage: E.g. 程序上有好多野要double confirm,所以that's why個project到兒家仲未出街。

That's why

Definition: A fancy way of saying 'so' or 'therefore' in Cantonese and to tone down the causal relationship between two items.

Usage: E.g. 係喇,你都冇同我講。That’s why我今次冇預到你份。 E.g. 你都冇比錢我。That's why我冇幫你買戲飛。

judgemental

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong doctors to refer to acting professionally when dealing with the family of a child diagnosed with cancer.

Usage: E.g. 醫生:之前有一個兒童癌症個案係醫到, 但家人唔想醫, 我唔想judgemental , 但覺得可惜 (Doctor: There was a case of cancer in a child that could be treated, but the family didn't want to continue treatment. I didn't want to be judgmental, but I felt it was a pity.)

Synonym: 批判性

Reference: https://ccf.org.hk/zh-hant/services/services_faq/?id=5)的專業團隊、醫院遊戲師,會介入向家長及病童解說療程,用柔性方式減輕恐懼

standup meeting

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a meeting that is usually shorter than what is already brief and leaves people thinking it should have been longer.

Usage: E.g. Standup meeting講得一句太brief,judge唔到performance。(A stand-up meeting can only allow people say a few sentences that are too brief, which is hard for judging an employee's performance.)

Synonym: 站立會議; 站會

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/88607/page/1

fat boy

Definition: A code-mixing term used by a Jayden Mami to describe a child who is chubby in a lighthearted way.

Usage: E.g. Fat boy,Mami同你講左好多次架喇,啲soup咁hot,仲咁快咁樣隊落去,要blow下先得架麻?(Fat boy, Mami told you so many times. The soup is so hot, and you still shove it into your mouth that fast. Blow it first you know?)

Synonym: 肥仔

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaINmQPARlx/ (use mobile version)

queue

Definition: A code-mixing term used by a Jayden Mami as a more precise and technical way of referring to an ordered waiting line. Also, it is often complemented with the English word 'long' to exaggerate the lengthiness of a queue when scolding a child.

Usage: E.g. 講咗呢啲holiday就係咁多人queue,條queue就係咁long嘅,冇可能你自己乜嘢都玩晒㗎嘛,係咪呀Jayden?(I have already said these holidays should have so many people queuing up. The queue is just that long, do you know you cannot play everything yourself, right Jayden?)

Synonym: 隊;龍

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

work life balance

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who think that there should not be work life balance in a job.

Usage: E.g. 鍾培生:創立HKTCG呢段時間,我發現工作係唔應該有work life balance!(Derek Chung: Since founding HKTCG, I’ve realized that work shouldn't be about "work-life balance"!)

Synonym: 工作與生活平衡

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@khdcheung/post/DaLDfNyj872?xmt=AQG0d2CtkCfBLCF7_hL8i3UT_5pM4sQhmEna6BzrSZp21XK0l6N0Qcq3Yei7A41-B_gwqJk7&slof=1

social

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to socialising with people when they are too tired of '應酬' in Cantonese where one is eating, drinking or entertaining clients for the sake of establishing business relations.

Usage: E.g. 曾經諗過改 逼自己扮social 但最後發現乜都唔理做番自己最舒服 唔洗夾硬逼自己扮哂野去應酬人 (I once thought about forcing myself to pretend to be social, but in the end I found that I didn't need to care about anything but being myself was the most comfortable. I didn't have to force myself to pretend to be social to entertain people.)

Synonym: 應酬

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/310048/page/3

out of control

Definition: A code-mixing term used by entertainment judges as a neutral way of describing the state of something not being controlled rather than implying someone has gone wrong losing control of something.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得你有時可能自視太高,你頭先出嚟時用聲同埋所有嘅野,你係完全out of control,直情係一個好似唔識唱歌嘅人 (I feel you may think too highly of yourself sometimes, like when you first came out and used your voice and all that, you were completely out of control, as if you were a person who didn't seem to know how to sing at all.)

Synonym: 失控

Reference: https://www.stheadline.com/film-drama/3570761/魔音女團莊子璇失準隨時出局陳熙蕊安慰喬美莎獲激讚-高學歷背景曾創百萬帶貨額

restaurant

Definition: A code-mixing term used by a Jayden Mami as a broad umbrella term for a variety of different places that serve food in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. Hailey, Mami頭先同你講去restaurant之前去定toilet。我一早估到你會急架。你兒家睇吓條queue幾long?又要等又要wait喇!(Hailey, Mami just told you to go to the toilet before going to the restaurant. And I have expected that you want to go to the toilet now. But can you see how long the queue is right now? We have to wait and wait again!)

Synonym: 餐廳; 酒家; 飯店; 餐館; 食店

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaINmQPARlx/ (use mobile version)

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