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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

cheers

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers when they celebrate an occasion with a drink, such as beer, wine or soft drinks.

Usage: E.g. 大家一齊飲杯啦!Cheers! (Let's make a toast. Cheers!)

Synonym: 乾杯, 飲杯, 飲勝

Reference: https://jyutdictionary.com/dictionary/entry/飲杯

low b

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that Hong Kongers use to refer to having low intelligence or being stupid. Also used as '低B' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. 唔好咁low b係到周圍大叫啦! E.g. 低B仔,你係咪仲未get要做咩呀?

Synonym: 低B

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

chop

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a company stamp. (公司蓋章)

Usage: E.g. 可唔可以借個chop黎用吓?

Synonym: 公司蓋章

Reference: https://paper.hket.com/article/190909/行政人員英語詞窮%20見客口啞

collect skin

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to tell somebody to shut the f**k up. It is used instead of the Cantonese equivalent '收皮' in order to tone down the directness of this very rude phrase. It originates from street vendors who used to pack their things up on wooden mats when police arrived back in those days of Hong Kong.

Usage: E.g. 喂,講完未呀?Collect skin啦。E.g. 真係頂你唔順呀,快D collect skin啦。

Synonym: 收皮

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now?utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_medium=instagram&utm_source=dash+hudson&utm_content=www.instagram.com/p/Cy8AD_WtaxO/ (use mobile version)

first round

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the initial stage in a process, such as an interview. At other times, it is also used for the describing the first in a set of social events, such as drinks and dinner.

Usage: E.g. First round既interview會幾簡單。Second round先會問你深入D既問題。(The first round interview will be very simple. The second round will be more in-depth.) E.g. 我今晚唔join first round喇。Second round先再join你地。(I am not going to join first round tonight. But I will join the second round.)

Synonym: 第一輪

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@hkcareerstory/post/C97oprFSuDw

dead cow's one-sided neck

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who is so stubborn that their neck is like leaning towards one side.

Usage: E.g. Listen to us for once! Don't be always so dead cow's one-sided neck la!

Synonym: 死牛一邊頸

group

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a relatively small number of people or things being put together but probably not big enough to be an organisation or entity.

Usage: E.g. 我地間公司係一個group,不如加入我地既whatsapp group再傾吓我地可以點合作?(Our company is a group. What about joining our Whatsapp group so we can talk about how we can work together?)

Synonym: 組, 組織, 集團

Reference: https://resources.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/23487/職場熱話-被迫加入廿個公司group-員工-不停彈訊息-連apple-watch都壞埋

general

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to describe something as too broad, vague or not specific enough without sounding too judgmental.

Usage: E.g. 啲ad永遠都寫得好general,你唔in過根本唔知人地要咩人。(The job ads are always written in such a general sense. You can never know what they are looking for unless you have been interviewed by them before.)

Synonym: 籠統

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1789393/page/34

sup

Definition: A salutation often used by real ABC Hong Kongers to ask how somebody is doing. However, it is often overused by Fake ABC's to strike a western impression on others. (Also used as "what's up")

Usage: E.g. 喂,sup man? E.g. 偽ABC:Sup man, sup, sup, sup...人們:得喇。唔好成日唔係又sup又喺到sup啦。好煩呀。

gas

Definition: Often used as '嘥gas', this is a code-mixing term that is used by native Hong Kongers to refer to wasting one's efforts.

Usage: E.g. 你唔洗嘥gas,佢唔會聽你講。

Synonym: 嘥gas,白費功夫

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW0x5-SyI4o

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