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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


14 results found

common

Definition: Often pronounced as ‘cummun’, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to express how common something is without making it sound unpopular or nothing special.

Usage: E.g. 做呢個行業好common架咋。(This occupation is so common!)

Synonym: 普遍, 普通

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/C04Br91vuJT/ (use mobile version)

common sense

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone as not having good judgement rather than lacking general knowledge, even though it can refer to both of these things when scolding someone.

Usage: E.g. Common sense 常人應該刷覺到既感通/道理 eg. 今日個女同事打扮得特別靚噴曬香水,放工應該有約會, 個晚最好唔好叫人OT (Common sense is what ordinary people should be aware of using their senses or reasoning. For example, if a female colleague dressed particularly well and sprayed perfume today, then you can guess they probably have a date after work. So you better not ask her to work overtime that night.) E.g. 你有冇common sense架?呢啲咁既野你自己google吓咪得囉!(Do you have common sense? For this kind of stuff you just need to google it yourself!)

Synonym: 常識

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/718878/page/3

common sense

Definition: A term that seems to originate from the English culture and can hardly be replaced by the Cantonese equivalent term '常識'.

Usage: E.g. 喂,你咁快就落搭,有冇common sense架? E.g. 一睇就知係搵笨啦,你有冇common sense架? E.g. 你好似有常識,不過冇common sense。

Synonym: 常識

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

common friend

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to refer to a mutual friend or a friend in common.

Usage: E.g. 佢係我地個common friend黎架。 E.g. 我地唔係好熟,不過有好多common friend。

Synonym: 共同朋友

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP2Tu1kqrQc&t=4s

lose P

Definition: Originated from '甩P' in Cantonese, this is a Kongish code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to losing one's probationary driving licence period in order to obtain a full driving licence.

Usage: E.g. 在香港新領取車牌後,需在汽車展示「P」字,司機擁有1年駕駛經驗方可獲正式駕駛執照,即俗稱「甩P」。(After receiving a new car licence in Hong Kong, the "P" sign is required to be displayed on a person's car. Drivers need to have one year of driving experience before they can obtain a full driving licence, commonly known as "lose P".)

Synonym: 甩P

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ6XwbejWAe/ (use mobile version)

watt

Definition: Often complemented with '跌' meaning 'decrease'', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe the state of becoming worse and being out of shape, like a decrease in wattage of a device.

Usage: E.g. Sophie 搞咩,同GM 一齊後跌曬Watt, 由女神變平民,噤熄自己嘅光…冇曬自己。(What's wrong with Sophie? After being with GM, she became out of shape entirely. From a goddess to a commoner, she turned off the spotlight on her... and lost herself completely.)

Synonym: 瓦; 功率

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BBmvzp26S-/

communication gap

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to illustrate the distance between two parties in terms of their communication, which is often due to their difference in job positions or departments in a company. Sometimes, it may be caused by forgeting to say "double confirm", which is a common phrase used by Hong Kongers at workplace to really make sure that certain information is correct.

Usage: E.g. 其實呢啲communication gap 大家可以做好D減少誤會,寫多兩句confirm is better。(As for these communication gaps, it is better for us all to try and minimise misunderstandings by saying 'confirm' more.)

Synonym: 溝通差距

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@purpzc/post/C-l0fNJyiZM?hl=en

gweilo

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a common code-mixing slang term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a western male person, which is transliterated from '鬼佬', meaning 'ghost man'.

Usage: E.g. Try talking to the gweilo to practice your English!

Synonym: 鬼佬

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gweilo

Last day

Definition: This is a code-mixing phrase commonly used to replace 最後一日 when the last day of activity is reached.

Usage: E.g. 今日係唔係last day?

Synonym: 最後一日

lift

Definition: 好像kam(第6聲)?1的「?」也是由lift翻譯過來,香港開埠以來人民就懂了,沒有人會說「請按升降機」或「請按電梯」,別人會覺得很作。廣東話的精粹是快和短,許多文書上的雙詞在口語上普遍用一個字來形容。這些例子日後再談。(It seems that the "lip" (1st tone) is also translated from 'lift' in English, just like 'kam' (6th tone). Since the start of Hong Kong, people have already understood this. No one will say "please press the elevator" or "please press the escalator". The essence of Cantonese is fast and short. Many doublet words in documents are commonly expressed as one word colloquially.)

Usage: E.g. 大廈部lift最近好嘈, 小弟住高層,我係屋企成日聽到樓上傳來磅磅聲,全日都有呢種聲 (The lift in the building has been very noisy lately. I live on a high floor, and I often hear banging sounds upstairs at home. There is this kind of sound all day long.)

Synonym: 升降機; 電梯

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3651008/page/1

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