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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

Engrish

Definition: A code-mixing term that Fake ABC Hong Kongers use when they want to challenge another person’s English by stressing the prestigious 'r' sound in English even when there is no r sound in an English word.

Usage: E.g. Do you know Engrish? E.g. I'm sorry I don't speak Chinese. Can you speak Engrish?

Synonym: English

Reference: https://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Engrish&oldformat=true&variant=zh-hk

standby

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers when they want to tell somebody to be ready to do something anytime without making them feel ordered to do the task.

Usage: E.g. 聽日放工記住隨時standby,有可能有客搵你。(Remember to standby tomorrow after work, as there may be customers who need you.)

Synonym: 待命;候命

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3476706/page/1

tgt

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term that refers to 'together' in English.

Usage: E.g. Nei zi chin mai wah seung do new pt, my frd arm arm told me kui find gun ppl, go tgt oj ng oj? (你之前咪話想做新Part Time,我朋友同我講佢搵緊人,一齊去好唔好?)

Synonym: together

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/283411/大學生打字用火星文-10句港式英文拼音大挑戰-測試你識幾多

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe a situation where there is a scene or fight going on between people, and you are just excited to watch what will happen as a bystander. '食住花生等睇戲' can be shortened to '食花生' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. I have never seen people argue like this over Whatsapp! Let's eat peanuts while waiting to watch a film!

Synonym: 食住花生等睇戲

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms

tap C

Definition: Often mistaken as mispronunciation, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the USB Type-C connector or port that is used by a variety of peripheral devices, such as PC's, laptops, mobile devices, mice, etc.

Usage: E.g. 事關上面Type C 的Tape 音。所以有點疑惑: Type-C 是一個term, 所以讀法唔同?(Regarding the above link's Tape pronunciation of Type C, I have the following question: If Type-C is a term, does it pronounce differently?)

Synonym: Type C

Reference: https://m.review33.com/forum_msg.php?db=3&tstart=0&s=&topic=85220221230810&number=6&sort=1

plan

Definition: A more positive-sounding code-mixing term compared to the same item (計劃) in Cantonese.  Often pronounced as 'pan'.

Usage: E.g. 做D咩都要plan定先得架麻。 E.g. 做D咩都要計劃好先得架麻。(you may sound like a schemer in this one! XD)

Reference: https://aclanthology.org/O09-5003.pdf

first round

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the initial stage in a process, such as an interview. At other times, it is also used for the describing the first in a set of social events, such as drinks and dinner.

Usage: E.g. First round既interview會幾簡單。Second round先會問你深入D既問題。(The first round interview will be very simple. The second round will be more in-depth.) E.g. 我今晚唔join first round喇。Second round先再join你地。(I am not going to join first round tonight. But I will join the second round.)

Synonym: 第一輪

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@hkcareerstory/post/C97oprFSuDw

bra

Definition: A more subtle way for Hong Kongers to refer to the undergarment worn by women, as the Cantonese equivalent term '胸圍' may sound too explicit and embarrassing in mentioning the female's body part.

Usage: E.g. 哎呀,我今日唔記得左載bra添。

Synonym: 胸圍

Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf

gimmick

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to '噱頭'.

Usage: E.g. 你有沒有留意樓下那家coffee shop最近常做promotion,我覺得滿有gimmick

Synonym: 噱頭

Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/港人中英夾雜有規律-網友-太神奇-020000181.html

report

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers love to use to refer to '報告'.

Usage: E.g. 份report幾時搞掂呀?

Synonym: 報告

Reference: https://www.gotrip.hk/生活/中英夾雜-港式廣東話-gt12-772959/

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