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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 852 results

pkmon

Definition: Often shortened to 'pkm' in textspeak, this is a code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers to refer to Pokemon. However, it is not to be confused with 'PK' in Cantonese, which is a vulgar expression meaning to tell someone to go to h*ll.

Usage: E.g 你本身唔中意pkm點爆都唔會開心 (If you don't like Pokemon, you will never be happy ripping open card boosters.)

Synonym: Pokemon

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@plee_0107/post/DakcU7DEg0D/

tiramisu

Definition: Often mistaken as a Japanese dessert, this is an Italian code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who are on a diet but cannot resist the temptation of eating desserts such as cheesecakes so they pick tiramisu which contains a lot less fat.

Usage: E.g. 不如食埋tiramisu先埋單好嗎?我兒家減緊肥,不過唔算太過分啫?(What about eating a tiramisu before we get the bill? I am going on a diet, but I don’t think this would be too fat to eat?

Synonym: 提拉米蘇

Reference: https://amp.lihkg.com/thread/3766385/page/1

give you some color see see

Definition: A euphemistic way of saying to somebody that you want to teach them a lesson or show them what you've got. (比D顏色你睇)

Usage: E.g. 咁寸?! Let me give you some color see see!

Synonym: 比D顏色你睇

benz

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to the car brand Mercedes-Benz

Usage: Wow! Ban¹ ci⁴ ah!

out cat

Definition: Said to have originated from 'copycat' in English, this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase that refers to someone who cheats or copies other people's answers in an exam. (出貓)

Usage: E.g. Don't dare to bring out the cat in an exam! (唔好咁大擔考試出貓!)

Synonym: 出貓

Reference: https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3181508/cat-got-your-tongue-feline-inspired-cantonese-slang-all-kinds

schedule

Definition: A code-mixing term that can hardly be replaced by the equivalent item in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 個project下個月deadline,記住mark低個schedule呀。 E.g. 請問你平時個schedule點架?

Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

native

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to someone who was born or grew up in a particular country, which Hong Kongers find it a lot more convenient to use than the Cantonese equivalent words because it requires much less linguistic effort.

Usage: E.g. 你係唔係native speaker黎架?(講本國語既人) E.g. 你D英文係咪native架?(純正本土口音)

Reference: https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/city-university-of-hong-kong/world-englishes/lecture-3-city-university-of-hong-kongen5714-world-englishes-and-the-social-context-of/20063922

doot

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to scold someone when they are prohibited from swearing in school. At other times, it is used as an onomatopoeia of the beeping sound of Octopus card readers in Hong Kong train service.

Usage: E.g. Doot你咩?!搞污糟我件校服!(F*** you?! You ruined my school uniform!) E.g. 好多人撘地鐵呀。快啲攞張八達通出黎doot部機入閘啦。(So many people taking the train. Take out your Octopus card quickly to doot the machine and enter the gate.)

Synonym: F***, d*u, 嘟

Reference: https://cantowords.com/dictionary/v/114049/doot

load

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to putting information into a computer. (載入)

Usage: E.g. 點解個website load咁耐都load唔到架?Load得咁慢真係GG喇。

Synonym: 載入

pool

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to getting out of the singles' pool so that you are finally dating someone!

Usage: E.g. 我平時咁宅,估唔到有一日會出pool。

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