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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

Cafe Pacific

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong aunties to refer to the Cathay Pacific airlines. However, it may have nothing to do with Cathay being a cafe.

Usage: E.g. A: 你搭咩航空? B: Cafe Pacific囉。

Synonym: 國泰

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRCavrZCNbZ/?igsh=MTNmNHJmNGtmOG4xZw== (use mobile version)

pickleball

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a game where a player hits a plastic ball with holes in it using a small racquette, which usually appeals more to females who find playing tennis too difficult.

Usage: E.g. 早幾年啲女興行山(有對腳就行得)、做GYM(有手有腳就可以鳩做+打卡)。之後就開始Tennis,但門檻較高,同埋太多女學極都係咁廢,三分鐘熱度就收皮。而家就開始pickle ball,因為夠易玩 (In the past few years, girls were interested in hiking (you can walk if you have feet) and doing gym (you can do it if you have hands and feet + take pictures). Then they started playing tennis, but the learning curve is higher, and too many were extremely useless even when they kept learning, or they just gave up after 3 minutes. Now they started playing pickleball because it's easy enough to play.)

Synonym: 匹克球

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3987075/page/1

reg

Definition: A shortened code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the word 'register', such as registering for an account in an app to become a member.

Usage: E.g. 快D download個app再reg個account成為會員啦!

Synonym: 申請

jeng

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used to describe something that is very good or awesome.

Usage: E.g. The food is so jeng! (正) E.g. The movie was ho jeng ah! (好正呀)

Synonym: 正

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/12-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-visit-hong-kong#:~:text=An%20alternative%20to%20“hou%20ging,jeng”%20if%20something%20is%20awesome.

OBA

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to 'Occupied but Available' in boy-girl relationships.

Usage: E.g. Occupied but Available (有伴侶但仍接受追求,即可一腳踏N船)(In a relationship but is still accepting new relationships, meaning that you can be in an N number of relationships at the same time.)

Synonym: Occupied but Available

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2812430/page/8

deadline

Definition: A code-mixing term often used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to the day that work must be handed in and finalised.

Usage: E.g. 老闆:下次知道要搞咁耐就早D返公司喇。 下屬:你話有野要交比個客睇,但係冇話過係deadline喎。 E.g. 老闆:今日係deadline,做唔完野要OT。 下屬:D野一早就做哂喇。

Synonym: 截止日

fade out

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to withdrawing from a relationship gradually. However, it can also be comparable to 'ghosting' if the withdrawal is sudden enough.

Usage: E.g. 可以點樣fade out想追我既人 (How can I fade out from someone who is chasing me?)

Synonym: 淡出

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2975441/page/1

no eye see

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that refers to something that is like an eyesore to oneself because he or she cannot withstand it anymore.

Usage: E.g. 你地做成日都打爛野。我真係no eye see喇。(冇眼睇)

Synonym: 冇眼睇

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/tag/kongish/

I am very thanks them

Definition: Often described as comparable to the English level of a primary school chicken, this is a code-mixing phrase used by the Hong Kong celebrity Stephy Tang (鄧麗欣) to express sincere gratitude towards other people.

Usage: E.g. Reporter: Tell me what you are wearing. Stephy: This is Vivienne Westwood. So I am very happy they give me that dress from England. So I am very thanks them.

Synonym: 我係好多謝佢地

Reference: https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/鄧麗欣

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