Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More | Downloads | Lectures | Videos |
Instagram Instagram
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 910 results

Please kindly

Definition: Often seen as redundant, this is a code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers when they really want to show politeness towards the email's receiver in a request.

Usage: E.g. Please kindly find the attached document.

Synonym: 請

Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/35656/電郵技巧|商用電郵|職場英語-10個打工仔常犯的英文EMAIL錯誤-PLEASE-KINDLY-WELL-RECEIVED-WITH-THANKS-都係錯-內附正確寫法及網上課程

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

my favit

Definition: A more linguistically efficient code-mixing term that refers to 'my favourite' in English. Originated from Hong Kong actor Ron Ng (吳卓羲).

Usage: E.g. 呢到既牛腩河係至正架!簡直係my favit!E.g. 吳卓羲:「Tailin, 賣飛佛(泰林,我的最愛)」

Synonym: 賣飛佛; 我的最愛

Reference: https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/賣飛佛

timing

Definition: Often said with a rising intonation on the second syllable, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Konger badminton coaches like to use to refer to the exact point in time of something because the Cantonese equivalent ‘時機’ somehow sounds less accurate.

Usage: E.g. 描準個ball,睇好個timing打落去,咁先得架嘛。(Aim at the ball, watch for the right timing and hit it. You got it?)

Synonym: 時機

fall country fall city

Definition: Derived from the idiom '傾國傾城', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used to describe women that are so devastatingly beautiful that they can make a country or city fall.

Usage: E.g. The girls in this club are so fall country fall city!

Synonym: 傾國傾城

charm

Definition: A noun-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe how charming or attractive a person is.

Usage: E.g. 喂,你覺得佢好charm嗎? E.g. 你今日著得好charm喎。

Synonym: 有魅力

don't care three seven twenty one

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe that something must be done no matter how worse the situation is.

Usage: E.g. I don't care three seven twenty one. This project must proceed!

Synonym: 唔理三七廿一

Reference: https://www.ourchinastory.com/zh/5530/何謂「唔理三七廿一」?%C2%A0

Ga yau

Definition: Derived from 'add oil' in Cantonese, this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase that local Hong Kongers use to express encouragement and support for another person.

Usage: Ga yau! You can win this game!

Synonym: 加油

heavy

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe the feeling of eating too much.

Usage: E.g. 食完打邊爐再飲咖啡會好heavy。

Synonym: 好腬

sldpk

Definition: (textspeak, vulgar) A code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers when they laugh so f***ing hard that they could literally or figuratively trip and fall on the street. Sometimes, the acronym be translated into different versions in order to act like euphemism for a swear word phrase.

Usage: E.g. sldpk (少年的拼勁) (Hong Kong artist Lam Ka-hin used “sldpk” in a post on his social media, justifying his usage with a Cantonese word pun to refer to the swear word phrase indirectly.)

Synonym: 笑撚到仆街; 少年的拼勁; 成龍打保錡

Reference: https://tyr-jour.hkbu.edu.hk/2024/12/15/canto-slang-connects-gen-zers-in-hong-kong/

Define Your Term | Learn More
Feel free to send your comments and suggestions to info@megaexplorer.net.