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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 946 results

naughty

Definition: A code-mixing term that a Jayden Mami uses to refer to a more playful misbehaviour in a lighthearted way rather than describing a child genuinely bad and unmanageable that the Cantonese equivalent terms tend to denote.

Usage: E.g. Jayden呀,唔好再咁naughty啦。你唔食菜,又唔飲湯,你唔會healthy架!(Jayden, don't be so naughty. If you don't eat vegetables and don't drink soup, you will not be healthy!)

Synonym: 曳;百厭

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/7397/

OT

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to working overtime. Sometimes, it is used as '冬OT' (winter OT), which means 'don't OT'.

Usage: E.g. A:死喇,咁多野做。唔知今晚要OT到幾時呢?B:冬OT!

Synonym: 加班

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

share

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to using or experiencing something together with others without the meaning of splitting apart, while not guaranteeing enjoyment and happiness.

Usage: E.g. 最鍾意share 野! 一餐可以食晒唔同款,正!(I love to share things! Can eat all sorts of food in a meal! Awesome!)

Synonym: 分享; 共用

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@louisling8/post/DHi7b96TcQP/最鍾意share-野-一餐可以食晒唔同款正

dor jeh

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase that foreigners use to utter the phrase 'thank you' in Cantonese when they receive a red packet during Chinese New Year.

Usage: E.g. Dor jeh! Gung hei fat choi!

Synonym: 多謝

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

count down

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to counting down on New Year’s Eve because they were never familiar with anything related to ‘數' since they never attended local schools that taught difficult Math in Chinese.

Usage: E.g. New Year’s Eve嗰日你會去邊到count down? (Where will you go for count down on New Year's Eve?)

Synonym: 倒數

Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/lifestyle/east-hong-kong-sugar-anime-skyline-countdown-to-2026-party

MTR

Definition: Pronounced as 'm-tee-ah-lo', this is a code-mixing term used by the grassroot class Hong Kongers to refer to the train station.

Usage: E.g. Foreigner: Excuse me, where is the MTR? HK'er: What? Foreigner: Where is the 'm-tee-ah-lo'? HK'er: Oh I understand! 'm-tee-ah-lo' is over there!

Synonym: 港鐵

point

Definition: A more polite way to refer to a person's standpoint, as the Cantonese equivalent term '點', meaning a dot, can refer to a woman's breast.

Usage: E.g. 男人:喂,我真係好唔明你個point喎!女人:唔緊要。我慢慢解釋比你聽。 E.g. 男人:喂,我真係好唔明你個點喎!女人:你話我邊點呀?唔好性騷擾喎!

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

timing

Definition: Pronounced with a rising intonation on the second syllable, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to doing something at exactly the right time, such as a love relationship.

Usage: E.g. 其實愛情都幾講timing。有時要搵啱個timing先可以喺埋一齊。

Synonym: 時機

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/60469/page/1

gemgem

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to Gemini AI.

Usage: E.g. 中四中五,兩班都係入到課室嗰刻先知「全錯」,臨時叫gemgem用10秒整理一個ppt,我依然繼續上堂。(For two classes of Form 4 and 5, I only knew that the powerpoint slides were "all wrong" the moment I entered the classroom. Then I quickly asked Gemini to organize a ppt in 10 seconds, and I still managed to teach the classes.)

Synonym: Gemini

Reference: https://facebook.com/612468728/posts/10164582559278729/?rdid=djANzUPXcw6SopFY&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F17nv7x2uZC%2F#

wat gei

Definition: Known as Kongish and having the literal meaning of 'bend machine', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to having overly powerful ability to do something.

Usage: E.g. You must be wat gei in this game because you practice all the time!

Synonym: 屈機

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-cantonese-slang-internet

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