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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 910 results

oj

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term that is a deliberate misspelling of 'OK'.

Usage: E.g. Nei zi chin mai wah seung do new pt, my frd arm arm told me kui find gun ppl, go tgt oj ng oj? (你之前咪話想做新Part Time,我朋友同我講佢搵緊人,一齊去好唔好?)

Synonym: OK

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/283411/大學生打字用火星文-10句港式英文拼音大挑戰-測試你識幾多

low pay leave

Definition: A code-mixing term used by grassroots Hong Kongers to refer to “no pay leave” or non-paid leave.

Usage: E.g. 請唔到病假咪請low pay leave囉! (no pay leave)

Synonym: 無薪假期

focus

Definition: (verb) A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to a less physical directing of attention onto something. Sometimes, it may be used in order to avoid sounding like one has ADHD.

Usage: E.g. 老師,我頭先focus唔到聽書,可唔可以再講多次?(Teacher, I really can't focus on listening to your lecture. Can you repeat again?)

Synonym: 專注; 集中

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/CynQSwpSd-P/?img_index=5 (use mobile version)

wet

Definition: (verb) A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers love to use to refer to hanging out and having fun, especially in bars and clubs.

Usage: E.g. 今晚諗住去邊到wet呀? E.g. 媽:比心機讀書。唔好成日掛住we we wet wet啦!

Synonym: 蒲

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/624997/21句顯老潮語-好in-kai子聽到打冷震-m嘢-格格蕉蕉咩意思#media_id=6904876

toilet

Definition: A euphemistic code-mixing term that refers to the same item ‘廁所’ in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 老師,唔該可唔可以去toilet呀? E.g. 咁多位,我去一去toilet先。

Reference: https://sites.google.com/site/hongkonglinguistics/Downhome/language-contact-in-hong-kong/cantonese-englishintra-sententialcode-switchinginhongkong

dry

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone or something as dull and boring such as having no relationship, which definitely has nothing to do with 'dry dating' in native English.

Usage: E.g. 我近排冇拖拍好dry呀。(I recently haven't been dating, so dry!) E.g. 唔好成日自己一個人咁dry啦。(Don't be always by yourself, so dry!)

Synonym: 沒新鮮感,很無聊,枯燥乏味

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtwE7IA18CY&t=50s

care

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kong businessmen to refer to something that they give a damn about, as the equivalent terms '理', '在乎' or '關心' in Cantonese sound too romantic or loving in a professional setting.

Usage: E.g. 我唔care你要OT到幾多點,總之要幫我搞掂。 E.g. 其實我都好care我既員工既福利。 E.g. 艾東care! (I don't care!)

Synonym: 理; 在乎; 關心

somehow

Definition: A way to avoid losing face or embarassment when you do not know how to answer the boss's question. However, it can be considered unprofessional if used too much at a workplace.

Usage: E.g. 你:我搵過好多次,但係somehow條數搵唔到。老細:哦,係呀?(你:我搵過好多次,但係唔知點解條數搵唔到。老細:咁實有原因架喎?) E.g. 你:個printer somehow壞左呀。老細:哦。(你:個printer唔知點解壞左呀。老細:我唔想聽到唔知點解!)

Synonym: 唔知點解

job

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to an employment position. (工作)

Usage: E.g. A:搵到job未呀? B:搵緊喇。\nE.g. A:近排有接job嗎? B:好似好多人搶job。

Synonym: 工作

Reference: https://freehunter.hk/news/freelancer搵job三大必睇重點

salty wet

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to describe a person who is perverted. (鹹濕)

Usage: E.g. Don't be so salty wet watch girls all the time la.

Synonym: 鹹濕

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/8-colloquialisms-unique-to-cantonese

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