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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


15 results found

miss

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong girls love to use to ask their boyfriends whether they feel sad or regret about not having their presence at times, as ‘掛住‘ in Cantonese could just be merely thinking about someone without such emotions, which is not enough to satisfy a Hong Kong girl’s demands. Usage: E.g. 呢幾日我地冇見。有冇miss我呀? (We have not seen each other these several days. Do you miss me?)Synonym: 掛住, 想念Reference: https://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=17173491

miss

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that local student Hong Kongers use to address a female teacher. Sometimes, it is pronounced as 'missy'. Usage: E.g. Miss,請問呢條問題點答?

miss

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers often use to refer to having missed something, such as a bus or a deadline. Usage: E.g. 哎呀,我miss左最後班車喇!\nE.g. 唔知miss左deadline會點呢?

Missy

Definition: A code-mixing term meaning female teacher. Usage: Eg. Missy, 請問功課幾時交? Eg. 仔仔,有d咩唔識記住問missy呀。

offer

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to the initial notification sent by a university presenting an acceptance of an applicant for a course, often provided that the applicant fulfills a number of conditions and the payment as well. Usage: E.g. A: 大學出左offer比你未? B: 收到同接受左喇,但係仲未正式取錄。(A: Have you received the offer from university yet? B: I received it and accepted it, but the admission is not officially confirmed yet.)Synonym: 取錄, 錄取通知Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2632592/page/1

promotion

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong salesman love to use as a strategy to advertise their products without sounding like they're doing it for the sake of spreading the word or selling their product. Usage: E.g. 我地公司兒家做緊promotion。你唔買就走寶喇喂。(Our company is now doing promotion. If you don't buy, you'll miss out.)Synonym: 宣傳,推廣Reference: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340689372_Code-Mixing_as_a_Promotion_Strategy_in_Shopping_Centres

ding

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to express frustration or distress when one encounters a problem. Usage: E.g. Ding! I missed the bus! (頂) E.g. Ding your lungs! How dare you talk to me like this? (頂你個肺)Reference: https://ovolohotels.com/ovolo/blog/7-cantonese-slangs-guaranteed-to-impress-a-local/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CDing!&text=Definition%3A%20It's%20simply%20another%20way,and%20shout%2C%20%E2%80%9CDING!%E2%80%9D

Aiya

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used as an interjection to express frustration or annoyance when something surprising occurs. (哎呀) Usage: E.g. Aiya! I missed the bus! E.g. Aiya! I dropped the cake! E.g. Aiya! I just needed one more mark to pass the test!Synonym: 哎呀Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/seven-cantonese-phrases-that-should-be-in-the-oed

la la lum

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to get someone to hurry up, which is similar to the phrase 'chop chop' in English. (Also see 'ja ja lum'.) Usage: E.g. La la lum get your homework done! E.g. Leave now or you'll miss the train! La la lum la!Synonym: 嗱嗱臨

ja ja lum

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to tell somebody to hurry up, which is similar to the phrase 'chop chop' in English. (Also see 'la la lum') Usage: E.g. Ja ja lum go to school now or you will miss the bus! Eg. Finish your homework! Ja ja lum la!Synonym: 咋咋臨
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