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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 852 results

smash

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to hitting a ball towards the ground forcefully in tennis, which not only feels good when defeating someone with such a gesture, but also it sort of gives the person a feeling of breaking something into pieces.

Usage: E.g. 咁勁?!今次我要smash返你!(So powerful?! I'm going to smash you back!)

Synonym: 殺球

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3898753/page/7

Out c

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to ‘out of syllabus’, which is used by local school students in Hong Kong.

Usage: Past paper條題目out c左。

Synonym: 非考試範圍

fly an airplane

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who fails to show up in an event. Also, used as 'to fly somebody an airplane'.

Usage: E.g. We all agreed to go shopping this weekend. Please don't fly airplane! (放飛機) E.g. I know you are busy, but don't fly me an airplane again! (放我飛機)

Synonym: 放飛機

clubbing

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to going to bars and clubs because they find the Cantonese equivalent terms a lot more suitable for a mature audience.

Usage: E.g. A: 去唔去clubbing呀?B: 你指係邊啲?A: 緊唔係夜總會啦!(A: Do you want to go clubbing? B: Which type are you referring to? A: Of course not nightclubs!)

Synonym: 夜店,夜總會

Reference: https://jyutdictionary.com/dictionary/entry/夜總會

A0

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish codemixing term that refers to a person who has never been in a relationship before. I.e. Available = 0.

Usage: E.g. Nei dou year 4 lah, ng hai lum ju a0 grad har wah. (你都Year 4啦,唔係諗住A0 grad吓話。)

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/article/283411?utm_source=01appshare&utm_medium=referral

out of control

Definition: A code-mixing term used by entertainment judges as a neutral way of describing the state of something not being controlled rather than implying someone has gone wrong losing control of something.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得你有時可能自視太高,你頭先出嚟時用聲同埋所有嘅野,你係完全out of control,直情係一個好似唔識唱歌嘅人 (I feel you may think too highly of yourself sometimes, like when you first came out and used your voice and all that, you were completely out of control, as if you were a person who didn't seem to know how to sing at all.)

Synonym: 失控

Reference: https://www.stheadline.com/film-drama/3570761/魔音女團莊子璇失準隨時出局陳熙蕊安慰喬美莎獲激讚-高學歷背景曾創百萬帶貨額

sure win

Definition: Often added after '一定', this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to being absolutely certain that you will win, like in a bet or game.

Usage: E.g. 今次D牌咁靚,一定sure win啦! E.g. 你咁有學歷同咁smart,面試一定sure win啦!

Synonym: 必勝

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/61304/

recap

Definition: A highly efficient code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use when they want to do a short summary of what happened in a period of time without sounding so repetitive, old school and verbose as '概括重述' denotes.

Usage: E.g. 不如我地一齊recap一下今個week做左咩?(What about doing a recap of what we did this week?)

Synonym: 概括重述

Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20052634/香港職場中英夾雜用語-內地網民舉30個例子-表示識粵語都無法理解

two beat six

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to an incompetent person of low status. It is the first part of the allegorical saying '未夠斤兩‘, which means the person is not qualified. Since 2 + 6 taels = half catty, it means the person is not much in catty and taels.

Usage: E.g. You two beat six should not be part of our group!

Synonym: 二打六

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/41660/

chi ma gun

Definition: Known as Kongish and a much stronger version of 'chi sin' (痴線), this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers describe someone who is crazy, or a situation that is outrageous or unbelievable. (黐孖筋 - ci1 maa1 gan1) Literal meaning: To have your twin wires sticking together, causing short circuit in the brain.

Usage: E.g. Why did you scold me?! Are you chi ma gun??!! E.g. Chi ma gun! Don't dare to drive after drinking alchohol again!!

Synonym: 黐孖筋

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