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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


649 results found

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

proper

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to describe people with high standards of social, moral and ethical behaviour which covers everything from the way they look, dress, and talk. Usage: E.g. 我覺得呢個行業既人都係好proper。(I think everybody in this industry are so proper.)Synonym: 規矩, 正當, 得體Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/4012349/page/1

experience

Definition: A code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers often use when they are excited to hear about another person's experience(s) in something, as the term is also countable as opposed to the Cantonese equivalent term. Usage: E.g. 可以同大家share吓你既travelling experiences嗎? (Could you share your travelling experiences with all of us?)Synonym: 經驗Reference: https://urbanpixxels.com/best-things-to-do-in-hong-kong/

skiiing / snowboarding

Definition: A pair of code-mixing terms that native Hong Kongers like to use to refer to the sport of gliding over snow because it is simply way too tiring having to tell the other person which one you are talking about if you just say ‘滑雪‘ in Cantonese, which has a literal meaning of 'glide snow'. Usage: E.g. 我好鍾意滑雪。B:不過請問係skiing定係snowboarding? (A: I really like gliding snow. B: But do you mean skiing or snowboarding?)Synonym: 滑雪Reference: https://www.baby-kingdom.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=12744670

recap

Definition: A highly efficient code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use when they want to do a short summary of what happened in a period of time without sounding so repetitive, old school and verbose as '概括重述' denotes. Usage: E.g. 不如我地一齊recap一下今個week做左咩?(What about doing a recap of what we did this week?)Synonym: 概括重述Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20052634/香港職場中英夾雜用語-內地網民舉30個例子-表示識粵語都無法理解

urgent

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to demand immediate attention towards a matter without sounding like they are in such a hurry or wanting the other person to hurry the f*** up. Usage: E.g. 呢個係一個urgent既task。B: 明白 (Understood) E.g. 呢個係一個緊急既任務。B: 洗唔洗咁急呀?(Why is there such a hurry?)Synonym: 緊急Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20052634/香港職場中英夾雜用語-內地網民舉30個例子-表示識粵語都無法理解

eye degrees

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students use to refer to the extent someone is shortsighted in degree units. Usage: E.g. You are shortsighted? What is your eye degrees?Synonym: prescription, diopters, 度數Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBmy095Db9U&t=190s

approach

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to refer the way in which a person can start a conversation with someone, especially for the purpose of drawing nearer to them in relationship or distance. Usage: E.g. 到底可以點approach男仔? (How on earth can I approach boys?)Synonym: 靠近Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/546513/page/13

hard feeling

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to avoid the use of sensitive negative vocabulary when they want to describe a situation where there can be anger or resentment involved when disagreement happens. Usage: E.g. A: 雖然我地達唔到共識,但係大家都唔好有hard feeling, ok? B: OK,明白。 (A: Even though we did not reach a consensus, we should not have any hard feelings okay? B: Okay, understood.) E.g. A: 雖然我地達唔到共識,但係大家都唔好有怨恨, ok? B: 講咩呀你?我幾時有怨恨?! (A: Even though we did not reach a consensus, we should not have any resentment okay? B: What are you talking about? When did I have resentment?!)Synonym: 憤怒, 怨恨, 不快Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3777161/page/1

freelance

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the type of work done for companies independently with much flexibility and freedom, which resembles the origin of the word that referred to a medieval mercenary who would fight for whoever paid them the most. Usage: E.g. 接邊間公司既freelance做先最賺錢呀?緊係呢間啦!(Which company should I earn me the most doing a freelance job for? Definitely this company!)Synonym: 自由工作Reference: https://www.threads.com/@duoproduction/post/C_pdWgzS9qd