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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 852 results

fix

Definition: A highly versatile code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to repair, solve, adjust, improve or make something work again, especially in the IT sector.

Usage: E.g. fix個bug幾日都仲未揾到個問題 (I've been fixing the bug for several days and still haven't found what the problem is.)

Synonym: 整; 修理; 解決

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3516188/page/32

claim

Definition: This is a code-mixing term used to refer to claiming money.  However, it is often pronounced as 'kam' by grassroot class Hong Kongers.

Usage: E.g. 請問讀完個course有冇得kam返d錢架? E.g. 請問d飯錢可唔可以問返公司kam架?

Synonym: 索取

Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

visa

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to the Cantonese equivalent '簽證'.

Usage: E.g. 你搞好左travel visa未呀?(旅遊簽證) E.g. 你到外國工作要有working visa架。(工作簽證)

Synonym: 簽證

agenda

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that refers to a list of matters to be discussed at a meeting. (議程)

Usage: E.g. 我哋宜家一齊go through吓今日嘅agenda。

Synonym: 議程

Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/開會常用英文-講完即刻pro咗-095043435.html

on call

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that is used by Hong Kongers to mean that they are ready to go to work whenever they get a call from their company.

Usage: E.g. 我每星期工作五天。不過我假日都要on call。

deserve

Definition: Known as 'JM tone', this is a code-mixing word that Hong Kong celebrity Janice Man use to refer to reserving someone, even though it is criticised as Fake ABC English due to a most likely wrong word usage.

Usage: E.g. 上天會deserve一個好好嘅人等緊我。(意思:reserve)

Reference: https://inews.hket.com/article/1522091/Janice%20Man英文教室%20%20教你練成JM%20Tone

give you some color see see

Definition: A euphemistic way of saying to somebody that you want to teach them a lesson or show them what you've got. (比D顏色你睇)

Usage: E.g. 咁寸?! Let me give you some color see see!

Synonym: 比D顏色你睇

take

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Konger girls to refer to having the strength or resilience to handle something emotionally, as in "I can take it", which they can sometimes do to a certain extent.

Usage: E.g. 出到嚟網上有咁多言論一路話我,我就覺得算啦,我係做呢行,我take(接受)咗佢啦,唔緊要啦。但take下take下,都take咗年幾兩年 (When I started working in this industry, there were so many discussions on the Internet talking about me, I thought it was okay because I knew I was in this industry, so I took it, it doesn't matter. But as I kept taking this and taking that, I realised that I had already been taking things in for a few years)

Synonym: 承受; 承受壓力

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/即時娛樂/60359289/jw王灝兒分手後啞忍兩年-眼濕濕平反拜金論-我仲使乜入tvb拍劇?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=01appshare

hello

Definition: Often pronounced as 'ha-lo', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers often use to greet somebody instead of '你好', which sounds too formal sometimes.

Usage: E.g. Ha-lo,我叫Peter。你叫咩名?

Synonym: 哈佬

individual

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe people who are really just minding their own business but not necessarily alone or single.

Usage: E.g. 呢間bar啲人點呀?係唔係個個都好individual咁樣呀? (How are the people in this bar? Are they all really just minding their own business?)

Synonym: 單獨

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@matthew_lam1116/post/DAcSyqdScem?hl=zh-hk

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