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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


17 results found

lang

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to refer to '靚', which describes something as beautiful or good-looking.

Usage: E.g. No, but seriously it’s really lang, you are the one who said hou ce right?

Reference: http://www.lingref.com/isb/4/039ISB4.PDF

exchange

Definition: Often complemented with '鳩吹' meaning talking nonsense or bullsh*t, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the type of language exchange where people are simply talking and chatting but not quite making much effort in learning language at all.

Usage: E.g. 去唔去language exchange呀?B:你係指鳩吹exchange?(A: Want to go to language exchange? B: You mean nonsense / bullsh*t exchange?)

Synonym: 交流

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1240271/page/2

exposure

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being able to gain experience of something by being in a particular environment rather than having physical contact with something. However, it is not to be confused with public exposure.

Usage: E.g. 學習語言要夠exposure。(Learning a language needs enough exposure.) E.g. 做開大行去細行一定唔慣,exposure 又細啲,資源又小啲。(It must be hard getting used to working in a small company if you came from a large company. There is less exposure and resources are also less.)

Synonym: 接觸

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2363704/page/1

interesting

Definition: A code-mixing filler term used by westernised Hong Kongers when they don't really find the other person's topic is all that interesting in a conversation.

Usage: E.g. A: 我平時鍾意寫app,去語言交流免費教人廣東話。B: 哦,interesting, interesting... (A: I like writing apps and going to language exchange to volunteer teaching people Cantonese regularly. B: Oh, interesting, interesting...) E.g. 我見外國人成日都用interesting 黎答人,仲要面無表情,會唔會係根本interesting 係外國一直都只係解: 哦⋯⋯. (I often see foreigners use 'interesting' as a response in a conversation, but without facial expression. Could it be that 'interesting' merely means like 'oh....' from a foreigner's perspective?)

Synonym: 很有趣, 哦

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1047783/page/1

August 15

Definition: It is a slang used in casual, humorous contexts to describe the buttocks, often linked to the roundness of the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Usage: My first skateboard experience is i fell on my august 15th as soon as I stood on the board!

Synonym: 八月十五

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/32249/

channel

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to use to refer to the language channel that one is speaking in.

Usage: E.g. 做咩成日轉channel講英文呀?你喺到扮ABC呀? E.g. 咪住。等我轉一轉channel講返中文先。

chicken and duck talk

Definition: (idiom) Derived from '雞同鴨講', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe two people who are unable to understand each other due to a difference of language or values. In other words, the conversation just seems to go round and round with each person talking over each other.

Usage: E.g. I think we will never understand each other because we work in different departments. What a chicken and duck talk!

Synonym: 雞同鴨講

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-word-of-the-month-雞同鴨講-chicken-duck-talk/

Eat Cha SIU

Definition: This is a Cantonese slang that refers to a situation where a player has a clear opportunity to score a point. The slangs origin comes from a volleyball game where a sports announcer said "Cha SIU" instead of the word "chance". Although the word came from a volleyball game initially, it's more widely used in badminton games.

Usage: That was a total set up for a smash, total Cha SIU!

Synonym: 食叉燒

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-生舊叉燒好過生你-better-to-give-birth-to-char-siu-than-you/#:~:text=Sik6%20caa1%20siu,back%20into%20its%20own%20court.

FF

Definition: (verb) Derived from the game "final fantasy", this is a Cantonese slang to refer to someone who fantasizes too much.

Usage: Be realistic! Don't FF too much la.

Synonym: Fantasize

Reference: https://www.cantoneseclass101.com/blog/2019/07/23/cantonese-text-slang/

grammar

Definition: Often pronounced as 'grandma', this is a code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students use to refer to the set of rules that define the structure of a language, which can be difficult and annoying sometimes like a grandma.

Usage: E.g. 今次考試要考埋英文grammar。真係好麻煩呀!(The exam will also cover English grammar this time. So frigging annoying!)

Synonym: 語法

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3389792/page/1

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