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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 725 results

work from home

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used by Hong Kongers instead of '在家工作'. Usage: E.g. 我今日真係爽呀,可以work from home。成日煲netflix都得啦!Synonym: 在家工作

idea

Definition: A code-mixing term that is more generic and appropriate to use in a number of different situations. Usage: E.g. 我覺得你個idea好好呀!(主意) E.g. 你唔係一D idea都冇呀?(想法) E.g. 呢隻遊戲既idea算唔錯。(概念) E.g. 你提出既idea同我好唔同。(觀點) E.g. 廣告既idea就係要人買野。(目的)Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

gossip

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers which is a more generic and less vivid way of calling someone who is too preoccupied with talking about other people’s lives. Usage: E.g. 唔好成日掛住gossip,專注啲做野啦!(Stop gossipping all the time and focus on your work!)Synonym: 諸事八卦, 閒言閒語, 講是非Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2683169/page/1

LV

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to refer to the famous French luxury brand ‘Louis Vuitton’. However, the grassroots class Hong Kongers may pronounce it as ‘eh-lo-wee’. Usage: A:你最想買邊隻手袋呀?B:唔洗問緊係LV啦。(A: Which handbag do you want to buy? B: No need to ask. Must be LV.)Synonym: Louis VuittonReference: https://amp.lihkg.com/thread/3065984/page/1

gag

Definition: Often used as '搞爛gag', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a lame joke or broken joke. Usage: E.g. 你唔好成日喺到搞爛gag啦!一D都唔好笑!Reference: https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/爛Gag

awkward

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a social situation where one feels very strange and uncomfortable, rather than an embarrassing situation where one feels ashamed or humiliated, as the Cantonese equivalent term '尷尬' can take on any of those two meanings. Usage: E.g. 本來咁多人約左出黎食飯點知得返你地兩個,會唔會覺得好awkward? (Originally many people were going to have a meal together, but only two of you came. Did it feel awkward?)Synonym: 尷尬Reference: https://www.threads.com/@janemanic.english/post/DHpmw9YRm-y/很多人分不清-embarrassedembarrassing-和-awkward雖然它們都有尷尬的意思但用法不同-embarrassed-形容人的感受例如-i-?hl=zh-hk

car

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong actor 楊偉倫 to express his breadth of knowledge when the club is facing crisis in the movie of Night King. Usage: E.g. 「我土地,學富五car,如果他朝有一日,你真的開鴨店的話,我赴湯蹈fire,做你頭牌!」(I'm Land, learned and knowledgeable like five cars. If one day you really open a male escort club, I'll brave any danger, go all out, and be your top male escort!)Synonym: 學富五車Reference: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/學富五車

small potato

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers who want to sound humble yet not so insignificant when they are being asked what position they work in a company. Usage: E.g. A: 哇!你間公司好出名喎。 B: 係呀,不過我只係small potato。(A: Wow! Your company is very famous. B: Yes, but I am just a small potato.)Synonym: 小角色Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/4063839/page/1

pushy

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being annoying and persistent in asking people what you want from them, which they may find unpleasant sometimes. Usage: E.g. 要做成一件事, 我經常會話, 係要夠煩, 要有少少pushy, 要真係問人攞。你既企圖心要夠擔, 夠明顯。無論係愛情, 定係講緊事業, 定係講緊銷售, 定係講緊生意, 有時候要夠煩。(In order to succeed in doing something, I always say that one must be annoying, a little pushy, and be really willing to ask people what you want. You must have a strong and clear ambition. No matter it is love, career, being a salesman or doing business, you have got to be annoying sometimes.)Synonym: 糾纏不休Reference: https://www.threads.com/@jolamchok/post/DWwAUf9EvsW?xmt=AQF0y1ypqqeuGQnl13QqFayBUxJUEO9Wygkjfo1KjhsL2gTqpLWJM-Xeszh4FEGiA-wBWbDL&slof=1

Holland Bank Cheque

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers when they don’t want to tell somebody directly that they are really f***ing stupid. Even though it looks like a westernised expression, it has a similar pronunciation as '好撚笨柒' in Cantonese, which means 'very f***ing stupid penis'. Usage: A: 有人話我係"荷蘭銀行支票", 何解??? B: HOLLAND BANK CHEQUE~自己讀~Synonym: 好撚笨柒Reference: https://m.discuss.com.hk/index.php?action=thread&tid=9184515
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