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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

tiramisu

Definition: Often mistaken as a Japanese dessert, this is an Italian code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who are on a diet but cannot resist the temptation of eating desserts such as cheesecakes so they pick tiramisu which contains a lot less fat.

Usage: E.g. 不如食埋tiramisu先埋單好嗎?我兒家減緊肥,不過唔算太過分啫?(What about eating a tiramisu before we get the bill? I am going on a diet, but I don’t think this would be too fat to eat?

Synonym: 提拉米蘇

Reference: https://amp.lihkg.com/thread/3766385/page/1

Excellent

Definition: Used in a famous quote in the movie of Night King, this is a code-mixing term used by Hong Kong celebrity Dayo Wong (黃子華) to emphasize that nothing can beat something that is truly excellent.

Usage: E.g. 乜能都唔及Excellent. (Nothing can compare to Excellent.)

Synonym: 頂級

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM1q2CIepLQ

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe a situation where there is a scene or fight going on between people, and you are just excited to watch what will happen as a bystander. '食住花生等睇戲' can be shortened to '食花生' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. I have never seen people argue like this over Whatsapp! Let's eat peanuts while waiting to watch a film!

Synonym: 食住花生等睇戲

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms

down

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to computer that has become unavailable, possibly due to a crash.  Sometimes, it is used as the shortened version of 'download'.

Usage: E.g. 大獲喇!公司server down機呀!快D搵人整呀!(當機) E.g. Down完個file未呀?咁耐既?(下載)

Synonym: 當機; 下載

Reference: https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/city-university-of-hong-kong/world-englishes/lecture-3-city-university-of-hong-kongen5714-world-englishes-and-the-social-context-of/20063922

movie

Definition: Classified as 'JM tone', this is a code-mixing style adopted by Hong Kong celebrity Janice Man to represent the upper class.  (Notice that the letter m is a voiced consonant in this word and should be emphasized for extremely proper pronunciation.)

Usage: E.g. 我週末得閒既時候會同朋友去睇mmmovie。

Synonym: 電影

hiking

Definition: A code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers like to use to refer to the sport of walking long distances on mountains because they have gotten so used to it and see it as a hobby rather than something laborious like '行山', which literally translates to 'walk mountain'.

Usage: E.g. 今個weekend去唔去hiking呀? 不如今次行遠D呀? (Do you want to go hiking this weekend? What about going on a longer trail?)

Synonym: 行山

Reference: https://letsgohiking.blog/

qualie

Definition: Pronounced as 'call-lee' with a rising tone on the second syllable, this code-mixing term is used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the English word 'qualification'. Often used together with the word 'show' to mean 'show off'.

Usage: E.g. 你冇qualie就唔好係到扮哂野啦。 E.g. 你唔好係到掛住show qualie啦,兄弟。 E.g. 睇唔出你咁有qualie喎。

team work

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong celebrity tutors to refer to a collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal.

Usage: E.g. 狀元培育向來都是team work. (Nurturing top scorers has always been team work.)

Synonym: 團體合作

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRGmhTQjT1N/?igsh=NWtoNHZ6OGRyOW8x (use mobile version)

inch

Definition: Derived from '寸' in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone who is cocky or arrogant.

Usage: E.g. 知道你叻喇!不過洗唔洗咁inch呀?(in廚)

Synonym: 寸

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/熱爆話題/159516/konglish-港式英語鬧爆疑似第三者-網民-香港人先會明嘅英文

Saliva man

Definition: A person that talks too much or gossips

Usage: Don't be such a saliva man! Please mind your own business.

Synonym: 口水佬

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/41520/

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