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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

worse

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often misused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to refer to something of bad quality.

Usage: E.g. 個湯凍嘅,真係好worse囉。

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/128449/你是否-偽abc-chill-中文意思係咩-10個港人常用錯英文字

man

Definition: A noun-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe someone who is manly.

Usage: E.g. 哇!你今日冇剃鬚好man呀! E.g. 得閒去吓gym鍛鍊吓肌肉先至夠man架嘛。

camel

Definition: Pronounced as 'cam-mell' and criticised as Fake ABC English, this is a code-mixing term used by celebrity Janice man to refer to the animal 'camel'.

Usage: E.g. 其實我自己好鍾意cam-mell色既,真係好似D駱駝色既,有少少泥色既。

Reference: https://medium.com/@girlslearnenglish/你說話會中英夾雜嗎-被-污名化-的中英夾雜-why-code-mixing-is-totally-fine-32eb1f280ca

upgrade

Definition: A code-mixing term meaning to further oneself's studies.

Usage: E.g. 做人要不斷upgrade自己先夠充實架嘛。

on and off

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe having a habit of joining events sometimes or occasionally without sounding they like to quit and join again all the time.

Usage: E.g. 我最近好忙呀,所以on and off咁樣join啲events囉。(I have been very busy, so I joined events on and off.)

Synonym: 斷斷續續

Reference: https://blog.english4u.net/blog2.aspx?id=1830

assignment

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong teachers love to use to imply to students that there is some standard to adhere to or duty to be taken for the task given to them, rather than something that requires much effort as the Cantonese phrase ‘功課‘ denotes.

Usage: E.g. 記住assignment要自己做,唔好抄人地或用AI。(Remember that you must do the assignment by yourself, and not copy others or use AI.)

Synonym: 功課

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1883876/page/1

claim

Definition: This is a code-mixing term used to refer to claiming money.  However, it is often pronounced as 'kam' by grassroot class Hong Kongers.

Usage: E.g. 請問讀完個course有冇得kam返d錢架? E.g. 請問d飯錢可唔可以問返公司kam架?

Synonym: 索取

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

work life balance

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who think that there should not be work life balance in a job.

Usage: E.g. 鍾培生:創立HKTCG呢段時間,我發現工作係唔應該有work life balance!(Derek Chung: Since founding HKTCG, I’ve realized that work shouldn't be about "work-life balance"!)

Synonym: 工作與生活平衡

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@khdcheung/post/DaLDfNyj872?xmt=AQG0d2CtkCfBLCF7_hL8i3UT_5pM4sQhmEna6BzrSZp21XK0l6N0Qcq3Yei7A41-B_gwqJk7&slof=1

staycation

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers love to use to refer to going on a vacation near one's home.

Usage: E.g. 年尾要清假,但封左關又唔去得旅行,唯有去酒店staycation啦。

Synonym: 宅度假

Reference: https://hkdic.my-helper.com/Staycation/

madam

Definition: The Hong Kong way of referring to a female police officer (女警官).

Usage: E.g. 女警:Target出現。全世界出動!下屬:Yes, Madam!

Synonym: 女警官

Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

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