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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

stay

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers like to use to refer to remaining in a place for a short period of time but don’t plan to live for a long time.

Usage: E.g. 你近排去韓國stay左幾耐?(How long did you stay in Korea recently?) E.g. 可唔可以去你屋企stay幾個月?(May I stay at your home for several months?)

Synonym: 逗留

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@sammy.goew/post/DSP4G9Zkqqb/請問有冇香港人會喺曼谷stay多幾日是咁的我開場前寄存咗我部dji同腳架但係我走咗先醒起而寄存點依家已經閂咗-我又今晚機走求好心人幫我取回薄酬

Dinner / din

Definition: A fashionable, elegant way of referring to dinner in Cantonese.

Usage: Eg. 去邊到食dinner好呢? Eg. 你想去邊到吃din呀?

Synonym: 晚餐

Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

g ng g

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase that is used to ask someone whether they know something.

Usage: E.g. A: Nei g ng g kui hui jor bin? B: Ng g. (A: 你知唔知佢去左邊? B: 唔知。)

Synonym: 知唔知

run

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to keeping a company going without necessarily managing it. Sometimes, it can extend to running a family and keeping it alive.

Usage: E.g. 噢喔~原來Run一頭家 同Run一間公司差唔多。我們是彼此最重要的合作夥伴 (Oh... In fact, running a household is pretty much the same as running a company. We are each other's most important partners.)

Synonym: 經營; 運行

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@miffylulu0423/post/DYutyJzFkii/噢喔原來run一頭家-同run一間公司差唔多我們是彼此最重要的合作夥伴我們不談犧牲-只談合作分工我們不爭錯對-旨在共同解決問題我們不互相消耗-意在互相滋養我們不/

work from home

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used by Hong Kongers instead of '在家工作'.

Usage: E.g. 我今日真係爽呀,可以work from home。成日煲netflix都得啦!

Synonym: 在家工作

caltor

Definition: Pronounced with a rising tone on the second syllable, this is a code-mixing term that refers to 'calculator'.  Also used as 'cal機' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. 唔該借個cal機比我呀? E.g. 試下用caltor check吓個answer。

Synonym: 計數機

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uik5GWvXiLA&t=210s

cheese cake

Definition: Often expressed as two separate words ‘cheese’ and ‘cake’, this is a code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who have more than a regular habit of going to Starbucks or Pacific Coffee to eat cheesecake.

Usage: E.g. A: 唔該,我想要十個blueberry cheeeeese cake. B: 唔好意思,冇咁多個。(Excuse me, may I have ten blueberry cheesecakes? B: I’m sorry, but there aren’t that many.)

Synonym: 芝士蛋糕

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/760451/page/1

gas

Definition: Often used as '嘥gas', this is a code-mixing term that is used by native Hong Kongers to refer to wasting one's efforts.

Usage: E.g. 你唔洗嘥gas,佢唔會聽你講。

Synonym: 嘥gas,白費功夫

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW0x5-SyI4o

Dim gaai

Definition: (Jyutping) Ask for the reason of things happened

Usage: Dim gaai zeoi gan sing jat lok jyu? (點解最近成日落雨?) - Why it always rain recently?

Synonym: 點解, Why, 為什麼

no bullsh*t let's go

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to express how serious a matter is and is no joke at all.

Usage: E.g. 鍾培生:Sign the f***ing contract. No bullsh*t let's go.

Synonym: 廢話少講, 來吧

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDK59_Yhv6Y

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