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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 852 results

thinking

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to cover a range of criteria in an exam such as a person's thought or perspective, process of thinking, mental attitude, reasoning path, etc. Sometimes, it may be a term short for critical thinking.

Usage: E.g. 考作文好睇你個thinking。(A writing exam really tests your thinking.)

Synonym: 諗法; 思路; 思考; 思想; 思維

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2517481/page/2

take action

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong policemen when they want to take legal or enforcement action to deal with a situation. At other times, it can simply be used to describe an action that one must take in order to further one's progress.

Usage: E.g. 如果比我地警方查到你犯法,我地會take action。(If our police force finds out that you have broken the law, we will take action.) E.g. 依加我地唔上唔落咁又唔敢再take action住。(Right now, our relationship is not getting anymore so I am afraid of taking any actions yet.)

Synonym: 採取行動

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1671360/page/1

Cafe Pacific

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong aunties to refer to the Cathay Pacific airlines. However, it may have nothing to do with Cathay being a cafe.

Usage: E.g. A: 你搭咩航空? B: Cafe Pacific囉。

Synonym: 國泰

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRCavrZCNbZ/?igsh=MTNmNHJmNGtmOG4xZw== (use mobile version)

foul

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that refers to being eliminated in a competition, or being disqualified due to breaking the rules in a sports game.

Usage: E.g. 小心比球證吹罰呀。再犯多次規就foul你出局。 E.g. 我第一round interview就比人foul左喇。真係慘慘豬。

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

phy chem bi

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to the physics, chemistry and biology subjects in an ultra convenient and orderly fashion.

Usage: E.g. 今次考試要讀哂phy chem bi,真係幾攞命呀。(I will need to study all of physics, chemistry and biology for this exam, which is quite taxing.)

Synonym: 物理, 化學, 生物

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1802219/page/1

mood

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person's emotional state that can be driven by an atmosphere or a person.

Usage: E.g. 女朋友講完句野搞到我無晒mood (My girlfriend said something which made me lose my mood.)

Synonym: 心情

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/294607/page/3

awkward

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a social situation where one feels very strange and uncomfortable, rather than an embarrassing situation where one feels ashamed or humiliated, as the Cantonese equivalent term '尷尬' can take on any of those two meanings.

Usage: E.g. 本來咁多人約左出黎食飯點知得返你地兩個,會唔會覺得好awkward? (Originally many people were going to have a meal together, but only two of you came. Did it feel awkward?)

Synonym: 尷尬

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@janemanic.english/post/DHpmw9YRm-y/很多人分不清-embarrassedembarrassing-和-awkward雖然它們都有尷尬的意思但用法不同-embarrassed-形容人的感受例如-i-?hl=zh-hk

freelance

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the type of work done for companies independently with much flexibility and freedom, which resembles the origin of the word that referred to a medieval mercenary who would fight for whoever paid them the most.

Usage: E.g. 接邊間公司既freelance做先最賺錢呀?緊係呢間啦!(Which company should I earn me the most doing a freelance job for? Definitely this company!)

Synonym: 自由工作

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@duoproduction/post/C_pdWgzS9qd

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

sem

Definition: A shortened code-mixing term that refers to 'semester' and can hardly be replaced '學期'.

Usage: E.g. 大學生:唔知今個sem考成點呢? 你:份project幾時交呀?同學:sem尾先至交呀。

Synonym: 學期

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