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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 852 results

cute

Definition: Often pronounced as 'Q' or used as 'Q-tee', this is a code-mixing term that is used by Hong Kongers instead of '可愛' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 哇,個公仔好Q呀! E.g. 港女:你睇吓我今日著得Q唔Q-tee呀?

Synonym: 可愛

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

please

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to making someone happy, satisfied and giving them pleasure, which is really not an easy task for anyone to do, but at least it doesn't always mean to win someone's favour by flattery like '取悦' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 宣萱自揭離開無綫原因:原來可能要刷鞋,要please一啲你唔想please嘅人,咁我問自己得唔得?唔得。(Jessica Hester Hsuan reveals the reason for leaving TVB: It turns out that you may have to make up to people, to please those who you don't want to please, so I ask myself can I? No.)

Synonym: 使滿意, 開心; 取悦

Reference: https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/entertainment/20260202/bkn-20260202190138911-0202_00862_001.html

sense

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the ability to understand and recognise something with our five senses, which include sight, hear, smell, taste and feel.

Usage: E.g. 男人好容易sense到女人鍾意咗自己嘅咩?(Can a man very easily sense that a woman likes him?)

Synonym: 感覺

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3392065/page/3

shut up

Definition: Pronounced as 'shalup', this is a code-mixing term used to tell somebody to shut up immediately.

Usage: E.g. 好鬼嘈呀!快D shalup啦! E.g. 同學:Shalup!老師就快到喇!

Synonym: 收聲

cert

Definition: A shortened code-mixing term that refers to 'certificate'.

Usage: E.g. 我終於考到張cert喇!

Ho

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term that is used as an adverb to emphasize the intensity of an adjective, which is similar to ‘very’ in English.

Usage: E.g. Ho ging ah! (Very powerful) E.g. Ho ying ah! (Very good looking) E.g. Ho jeng ah! (Very good or awesome) E.g. Ho ho may! (Very delicious)

Synonym: 好

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/12-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-visit-hong-kong#:~:text=An%2520alternative%2520to%2520“hou%2520ging,jeng”%2520if%2520something%2520is%2520awesome.

social

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to meeting and spending time with people as a normal everyday activity without sounding so deliberate.

Usage: E.g. 有冇人其實唔想同同事social (Is there anyone who actually doesn't want to socialise with colleagues?)

Synonym: 社交; 交際

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3655725/page/2

in

Definition: (adj.) A code-mixing term used to describe someone or something as being very trendy.

Usage: E.g. 哇,你今日著得好IN呀。 E.g. 聽返D流行音樂,咁先夠IN架嘛。 E.g. 做後生仔要夠IN先得架嘛。

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

sell

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to an exchange of goods or services for money, but often with an extra service of persuading and pushing the customer to buy something they don't want to buy at all.

Usage: E.g. 個sales明明係sell野但係又講到唔係。(The salesperson was actually selling and pitching his product but he said he wasn't.)

Synonym: 賣野; 推廣

Reference: https://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=27464402

as

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use when they want to illustrate a point from a certain person’s role, but without much emphasis on what it means to be in that role entirely.

Usage: E.g. 或者只係as一個消費者去against for尊重及權益:呢個只係好first step嘅抗議。我地有權維護自己利益,再而就罷買 (Or just as a consumer to against for respect and rights - This is just a very first step protest. We have the right to uphold our own interests and then boycott as a consumer.)

Synonym: 作為

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/113938/page/23

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