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10 random words out of 946 results
Definition: Often pronounced without the 'd', this is a neutral-sounding code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they are not sure which Cantonese equivalent word to use when something unexpected happens.
Usage: E.g. 哇，你考試咁高分，我好surprised呀。(Wow, you scored a high mark in your exam. I'm so surprised.) E.g. 哇，你最近減肥呀？我好surprised呀。 (Wow, you went on a diet recently? I'm so surprised.) E.g. 哇，你有男朋友？我好surprised呀。(Wow, you got a boyfriend? I'm so surprised.)
Synonym: 驚喜，驚訝
Reference: https://tsangyoksing.hk/2009/10/06/輕音節的正確讀法/
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used as an interjection to express frustration or annoyance when something surprising occurs. (哎呀)
Usage: E.g. Aiya! I missed the bus! E.g. Aiya! I dropped the cake! E.g. Aiya! I just needed one more mark to pass the test!
Synonym: 哎呀
Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/seven-cantonese-phrases-that-should-be-in-the-oed
Definition: Often mistaken as 'no thanks' or refusal to an offer, this is a code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers to acknowledge someone's gratitude, which is comparable to 'You are welcome'.
Usage: E.g. 岩岩做野果時幫佢手 佢同我講Thanks。我諗唔到除左No Thanks/ It’s Fine之外仲有咩回應。(When I started working for him at that time, he used to say 'thanks'. But I could not think of any phrases other than 'No Thanks/It's fine' as a response.)
Synonym: 唔洗唔該
Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/599066/page/1
Definition: Derived from the four-character idiom '大名鼎鼎', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong local students to describe a person as very famous, well-known or have a grand reputation.
Usage: E.g. 李忠慶說很喜歡下方一個留言「I know this is related to big ming pot pot geh prof Li Wei」，此應用語言學系列叢書的其中一名編輯是著名語言學家李嵬，亦啟發李關注及研究該專頁(Lee Chung Hing mentioned that he really liked a comment that says, "I know this is related to big ming pot pot geh prof Li Wei." One of the editors of this applied linguistics book series is the renowned linguist Li Wei, and this connection prompted Li to follow and study the page.)
Synonym: 大名鼎鼎
Definition: A fashionable way of referring to lunch in Cantonese.
Usage: Eg. 喂，不如一齊食lunch呀？Eg. 放lunch想食D咩呀？
Synonym: 午餐
Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf
Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase that Hong Kong expats use when they don't understand what someone is saying in Cantonese.
Usage: Hong Konger: 你叫咩名? Expat: Mm sick teng.
Synonym: 唔識聽
Reference: https://geoexpat.com/forum/53/thread22332-2.html
Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to tell someone not to worry about something anymore, even though it may not sound polite to English speakers.
Usage: E.g. Never mind啦。我地下次再約。 E.g. Never mind啦。我自己搞得掂。
Definition: Derived from 'O嘴', this is a Kongish code-mixing term that refers to feeling surprised and astonished to the point where your mouth literally opens in an O shape.
Usage: E.g. I was O mouth to see the football match turned around! (今次場波反敗為勝，真睇到我O哂嘴。)
Synonym: O嘴
Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to refer to the stage of a meal where the main dish is served. As to why ‘course’ is more often used than ‘dish’ compared to the Cantonese phrase ‘主菜‘, it may be to do with the upper class etiquette that the stage of a meal is more important than the dish itself.
Usage: E.g. 食semi-buffet質素好過buffet, 起碼個main course係入得落口 (The quality of eating semi-buffet is higher than buffet, at least the main course is decent.)
Synonym: 主菜
Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3120803/page/3
Definition: Derived from 'gut' (吉) meaning nothingness or tangerines, this is a romanised code-mixing slang phrase used to describe someone is messing about and wasting time, which purportedly comes from people in the past going into Hong Kong stores just to drink the bowl of soup called 'gut' soup (吉湯) without spending money on the food at all. 'wun' can mean to mix (混) or to transport (運).
Usage: Auntie: Stop tasting my fruits here and there! Are you wun gut?
Synonym: 運吉, 混吉
Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now
