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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 910 results

I really appreciate it

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by overseas educated Hong Kongers who want to express their sincere gratitude towards someone without saying 'thank you' repetitively.

Usage: E.g. 唔該哂你幫我手呀。I really appreciate it.

Synonym: 我好感激你

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKwHZnk1ZNs

pull a cow up the tree

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe strenuous tasks that are almost impossible to complete.

Usage: E.g. Getting my son to do homework is like pulling a cow up the tree!

Synonym: 拉牛上樹

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

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

vocab

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to vocabulary that they simply need to memorise for tests and exams but don't really use in their everyday life.

Usage: E.g. 另外就係成日都喺度死記硬背vocab, 好複雜咁樣教文法,聽到都頭痛。(The other thing is that we always needed to memorise vocabulary like rote-learning, and grammar is also being taught in a very complicated way, which is a headache to listen to.)

Synonym: 詞彙

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BANtUhMr8G/

foodie

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers that refers to a person who loves food and likes to try different kinds of food. However, it is often used as a term similar to the level of a gourmet even though the person may not be a food expert.

Usage: E.g. 而家啲ig foodie以為自己真係食評家。(Nowadays the foodies on IG really think they are real gourmets.)

Synonym: 美食愛好者

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2093295/page/1

Lulu

Definition: Often used as an idiom, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to a stupid person. (For male version, see 'Robert')

Usage: E.g. 唔好當我係Lulu喎! (Stop treating me like a stupid person!)

camel

Definition: Pronounced as 'cam-mell' and criticised as Fake ABC English, this is a code-mixing term used by celebrity Janice man to refer to the animal 'camel'.

Usage: E.g. 其實我自己好鍾意cam-mell色既,真係好似D駱駝色既,有少少泥色既。

Reference: https://medium.com/@girlslearnenglish/你說話會中英夾雜嗎-被-污名化-的中英夾雜-why-code-mixing-is-totally-fine-32eb1f280ca

pickleball

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a game where a player hits a plastic ball with holes in it using a small racquette, which usually appeals more to females who find playing tennis too difficult.

Usage: E.g. 早幾年啲女興行山(有對腳就行得)、做GYM(有手有腳就可以鳩做+打卡)。之後就開始Tennis,但門檻較高,同埋太多女學極都係咁廢,三分鐘熱度就收皮。而家就開始pickle ball,因為夠易玩 (In the past few years, girls were interested in hiking (you can walk if you have feet) and doing gym (you can do it if you have hands and feet + take pictures). Then they started playing tennis, but the learning curve is higher, and too many were extremely useless even when they kept learning, or they just gave up after 3 minutes. Now they started playing pickleball because it's easy enough to play.)

Synonym: 匹克球

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3987075/page/1

Lunch

Definition: A fashionable way of referring to lunch in Cantonese.

Usage: Eg. 喂,不如一齊食lunch呀?Eg. 放lunch想食D咩呀?

Synonym: 午餐

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

BiLiBaLa

Definition: Pronounced as 'bee-lee-bah-la', this is a code-mixing onomatopoepic phrase used by native Hong Kongers in a 90's limerick to describe someone talking a lot, loudly or fast.

Usage: E.g. XXX(人名)未夠18歲學人揸飛機,跌落屎坑執玻璃,返到屋企唔忿氣,BiLiBaLa放臭屁,阿媽以為漏煤氣,原來衰仔放緊屁。(E.g. XXX (name) learned to drive a plane under 18 years old, and fell into the toilet to pick up the glass. He returned home feeling resentful, then kept talking a lot and made a stinky fart. His mother thought there was a gas leak, but it turned out that the bad boy was farting.)

Synonym: 嗶哩叭啦

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/830396/i-don-t-know-食鬆糕下句-香港人20首小學雞打油詩-你識幾多首?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=01appshare

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