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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

leung

Definition: Purportedly to have come from ‘娘’ meaning an old married woman, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone’s appearance as old-fashioned.

Usage: E.g. 你今日著衫好leung!(You dress very old-fashioned today!)

Synonym: 娘

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?14,140076,140076

tissue

Definition: Pronounced as 'tee-suu', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers have grown up with and got used to instead of the equivalent term in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 請問有冇tissue呀?。E.g. 唔該比張tissue黎呀,唔該。

Synonym: 紙巾

Key

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used with “啱key”, which refers to whether you get along well with somebody. Explanation: like the key in a piece of music.

Usage: Eg. 你同你朋友啱唔啱key呀?

Reference: https://shyyp.net/hant/phrase/啱key

wish

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers who believe that making wishes should be done with eyes closed and not involve any '望', which has a literal meaning of gaze or look.

Usage: E.g. 新一年你有咩wish呀?快啲make a wish啦!(What is your wish for the new year? Make a wish quickly!)

Synonym: 願望

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3584700/page/1

ngo mm sik gong gwong dong wa

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase used by foreigners when they come across a local Hong Konger who thinks they know how to speak Cantonese. Literal meaning: I don't know how to speak Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. Foreigner: Mm goi sai! Dor jeh! Hong Konger: Wow, your Cantonese is so good! Foreigner: Ngo mm sik gong gwong dong wa.

Synonym: 我唔識講廣東話

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

con

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to contact lens.

Usage: E.g. 港女:我唔要戴眼鏡。我要戴con!

Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

common

Definition: Often pronounced as ‘cummun’, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to express how common something is without making it sound unpopular or nothing special.

Usage: E.g. 做呢個行業好common架咋。(This occupation is so common!)

Synonym: 普遍, 普通

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/C04Br91vuJT/ (use mobile version)

Giorgio Armarni

Definition: Known as JM tone and pronounced with an extra 'r' in Armani, this is a code-mixing term used by Hong Kong celebrity Janice Man to refer to the Italian fashion designer and brand.

Usage: E.g.「嚟到GoRgio ARmaRni(Giorgio Armani)嘅show嘅現場…」馬米高聽到一臉疑惑︰「Hello Girl!你去咗冒牌現場啊? Giorgio Arrr讀到呢度都啱,但係咪ar-MARNI?冇R喎!」(Janice Man: "Arriving at the live show of Giorgio ArmaRni..." Michael Ma heard and suspected: "Hello Girl! Did you go to the fake brand's live show? Giorgio Arrr is pronounced correctly, but is it ar-MARNI? There is no R there!)

Synonym: 喬治·亞曼尼, Giorgio Armani

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVyay3rgqtf/?igsh=MWU0bGlyajBnM3B5OQ== (use mobile version)

pat pat

Definition: Purportedly to have originated from the name of a disposable diaper, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Konger use as a euphemistic way to refer to a person's buttocks, which is very appropriate to say when talking to toddlers.

Usage: E.g. 唔好曳啊,曳就打PAT-PAT (Don't be naughty, or else I will hit your buttocks)

Synonym: 屁股

Reference: https://shyyp.net/hant/phrase/PAT-PAT

printer

Definition: Often pronounced without the 'r' sounds and with a rising tone on the second syllable, this is an a lot more linguistically efficient way of referring to printer (打印機)in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 內地人:個打印機喺邊呀? 香港人:咩話?三個字咁累贅。叫返printer啦唔該。

Synonym: 打印機

Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

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