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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 910 results

work hard play hard

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by overseas educated Hong Kongers who suspect that Hong Kongers should think equally more about playing hard than just working hard in order to achieve work life balance.

Usage: E.g. 林作:個個都講work hard play hard,work life balance。其實work hard我都懷疑好多香港人都已經做到,但係play hard係咪真係做到? (Jo Lam: Everyone talks about work hard play hard and work life balance. In fact, I suspect many Hong Kong people can already 'work hard', but what about 'play hard'?)

Synonym: 努力工作,盡情玩樂

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@jolamchok/post/DZ7vZQvEu-N?xmt=AQG0CXq4cs_lvE9lalZblnSIMOpYE8FFkxn2iPI5ppvBkQgGVDW4mGrHcOZJpC5yTFDRogoV&slof=1

take advantage

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to exploiting the use of something, even though at times it can seem more like abusing or misusing something instead.

Usage: E.g. 有D公司好take advantage D fresh grad,要你做唔哂野要OT。(Some companikes really take advantage of fresh graduates and get them to work overtime.) E.g. 有D員工好take advantage公司D病假。(Some employees really take advantage of the sick leaves offered by companies.)

Synonym: 利用, 濫用

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3588289/page/6

taste

Definition: Often pronounced with a '屎' (faeces) at the end of the word, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to having the ability to recognise something good. ('有品味')

Usage: E.g. 哇,你識揀呢件衫,真係好有taste呀!

Synonym: 品味

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

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.

KT

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to the places Kwun Tong or Kai Tak interchangebly.

Usage: E.g.「約咗男朋友出街,地點係啟德,佢話係6:30 kt等,我6:30到咗,問佢係邊,佢話就到觀塘,我:???唔係6:30啟德等咩?佢話kt係觀塘。」(I arranged to go out with my boyfriend, the place is Kai Tak. He said wait at KT at 6:30, so I arrived at 6:30. Then I asked where he was, he said he was arriving at Kwun Tong. I said, 'What? I thought it was 6:30 at Kai Tak.' He said KT is Kwun Tong.)

Synonym: 觀塘, 啟德

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVsSQu4CEvp/?igsh=ejZ5bzB5NGhjbHpx (use mobile version)

fail

Definition: Often transliterated and pronounced as the loan phrase '肥佬' meaning 'fat guy', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe getting an unsuccessful result when doing something. Sometimes, it can be shortened to '肥' (fat) as a verb.

Usage: E.g. 哎呀!今次考試肥左佬! E.g. 唔係掛?考咁多次都肥?!

Synonym: 肥佬

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/16296/

very delicious

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that is often mistaken as grammatically incorrect due to the word 'very' being considered redundant, as 'delicious' already denotes the meaning of very yummy. However, it originates from '好好味' in Cantonese, which means 'very very tasty'.

Usage: E.g. 哇,D野食真係very delicious呀。

Synonym: 好好味

call

Definition: This is an lot more linguistically efficient way of saying the Cantonese equivalent '打電話', which has 3 long syllables.

Usage: E.g. 可以兒家call你嗎? E.g. 我尋日call爆你機都唔聽。你去左邊呀?

Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

caring

Definition: A more broad and general code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to having concern, kindness and empathy towards others but not to the point of being so loving.

Usage: E.g. 之前都識左個男仔, 一開始都好nice 好caring, 突然有一日係車鬧左我成個鐘。(I used to know a guy who was very nice and caring at the start, but there came a day where he suddenly scolded me for an hour in the car.)

Synonym: 關心別人;有愛心

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3665573/page/28

small potato

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers who want to sound humble yet not so insignificant when they are being asked what position they work in a company.

Usage: E.g. A: 哇!你間公司好出名喎。 B: 係呀,不過我只係small potato。(A: Wow! Your company is very famous. B: Yes, but I am just a small potato.)

Synonym: 小角色

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/4063839/page/1

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