Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More | Downloads | Lectures | Videos |
Instagram Instagram
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 852 results

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing idiom used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who refuses to concede despite knowing that they made the mistake in the first place. '死雞撐飯蓋' can also be shortened to '死撐' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. You know you've done wrong! Stop being like a dead chicken propping up the rice cooker lid!

Synonym: 死雞撐飯蓋

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

foodie

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers that refers to a person who loves food and likes to try different kinds of food. However, it is often used as a term similar to the level of a gourmet even though the person may not be a food expert.

Usage: E.g. 而家啲ig foodie以為自己真係食評家。(Nowadays the foodies on IG really think they are real gourmets.)

Synonym: 美食愛好者

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2093295/page/1

wet

Definition: (verb) A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers love to use to refer to hanging out and having fun, especially in bars and clubs.

Usage: E.g. 今晚諗住去邊到wet呀? E.g. 媽:比心機讀書。唔好成日掛住we we wet wet啦!

Synonym: 蒲

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/624997/21句顯老潮語-好in-kai子聽到打冷震-m嘢-格格蕉蕉咩意思#media_id=6904876

check

Definition: (verb) A more suitable term for the Cantonese equivalent word '檢查', which sounds too formal and serious, like doing a body check.

Usage: E.g. 同我check吓份文件好嗎?

Synonym: 檢查

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

one ball seventy percent off

Definition: Derived from '一波三折', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe an unexpected event with twists and turns. Literal meaning: A wave that is split into three segments.

Usage: E.g. 呢排真係好黑仔呀。簡直係one ball seventy percent off呀。(一波三折)

Synonym: 一波三折

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/58665/

in

Definition: (adj.) A code-mixing term used to describe someone or something as being very trendy.

Usage: E.g. 哇,你今日著得好IN呀。 E.g. 聽返D流行音樂,咁先夠IN架嘛。 E.g. 做後生仔要夠IN先得架嘛。

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

you know

Definition: A tag-switching phrase overused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to create a western appeal.

Usage: E.g. You know, 我成日去做gym緊係fit啦, you know。 E.g. 我係上等人咁緊係成日夾雜英文啦, you know?

Reference: https://travel.ulifestyle.com.hk/news/detail/12179/明明無r音都要捲舌-5大令人頂唔順的偽abc特徵/1

sell

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to an exchange of goods or services for money, but often with an extra service of persuading and pushing the customer to buy something they don't want to buy at all.

Usage: E.g. 個sales明明係sell野但係又講到唔係。(The salesperson was actually selling and pitching his product but he said he wasn't.)

Synonym: 賣野; 推廣

Reference: https://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=27464402

chaam

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term used to describe how poor (慘) someone is.

Usage: E.g. I cried coz I am very chaam. E.g. 今次考試肥左真係好chaam。 E.g. 做到扒左喺到咁真係chaamchaam豬。

Synonym: 慘

Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/3056055/【港式英文】嫌米綫店「updup」及食客「wuddud」%20%20%20%20港女IG發文形容好「Chaam」

By the way

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to avoid seeming as if you have almost forgotten to mention something.

Usage: E.g. By the way, 你可唔可以幫我搞掂埋呢份proposal? E.g. By the way, 你今晚幾時得閒呀?

Synonym: 順便講

Define Your Term | Learn More
Feel free to send your comments and suggestions to info@megaexplorer.net.