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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


917 results found

arts

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to the DIY handicrafts that can be easily made by anyone, even though such crafts do require creativity to be unique enough like the fine arts sometimes.

Usage: E.g. A: 請問你地啲手工藝係咪真係幫到人舒緩壓力?你地係咪讀心理學架?B: 吓?我都想。其實我地都係偏向arts架。(A: May I ask whether your handicrafts really help people to relieve their stress? Do you study psychology? B: What? I wish I do. Actually, we lean more towards the arts.)

Synonym: 美術, 勞作

as

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use when they want to illustrate a point from a certain person’s role, but without much emphasis on what it means to be in that role entirely.

Usage: E.g. 或者只係as一個消費者去against for尊重及權益:呢個只係好first step嘅抗議。我地有權維護自己利益,再而就罷買 (Or just as a consumer to against for respect and rights - This is just a very first step protest. We have the right to uphold our own interests and then boycott as a consumer.)

Synonym: 作為

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/113938/page/23

assess

Definition: Originated from ‘access’, this is a code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the means through which one can enter a system or having the permission to retrieve data from a system.

Usage: E.g. 唔該可唔可以比個database既assess比我? (Could you give me the access to the database?) E.g. 我assess唔到個system。可唔可以比密碼我?(I cannot access the system. Can you give me the password?)

Synonym: access, 讀取

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/CjZh3wSpu4l/ (use mobile version)

attachment

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers like to use to refer to the computer file that is sent along with an email message.

Usage: E.g. 我搵唔到你個email既attachment。可以再send多次嗎?

Synonym: 附件

Reference: https://hk.ulifestyle.com.hk/topic/detail/20052582/香港職場30個中英夾雜用語-內地網民-自己會粵語也聽不懂/1

Auntie

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to address a middle-aged woman who wants to sound younger because '姨姨' in Cantonese somehow sounds old.

Usage: E.g. A: 點解香港咁多盲毛,好多人見到女性唔係着校服嘅就叫人阿姨!尤其啲阿叔阿婆次次鳩叫。好心盲毛唔識分就叫人姐姐/小姐/阿妺!叫後生啲點都好過叫老咗呀。B: Hi Auntie. (A: Why are there so many blind idiots in Hong Kong? Many people address women as 'ah yi' whenever someone who is not wearing school uniform! Especially the uncles and grannies! Could these blind idiots say sister, miss, or sis?! Addressing someone as younger is better than old. B: Hi Auntie.)

Synonym: 姨姨; 阿姨

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2839861/page/1

auntie

Definition: A polite way of addressing a stranger, usually a much older person, when you meet them for the first time.

Usage: E.g. 哈佬Auntie,你好呀! E.g. 仔仔,快D叫聲Auntie啦。

Synonym: 阿姨; 姨姨

Reference: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3048345/hong-kong-comes-alive-learning-cantonese-make-sure-you-know

aware

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to noticing something in a more passive and less intentional way.

Usage: E.g. 我唔係唔知道發生咩事,只不過當時我唔係咁aware周邊既環境姐。(It's not that I don't know what was going on, but I was just not aware of my surrounding environment at that time.)

Synonym: 意識;知道;察覺;為意

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/1chahae/difference_between_realize_and_be_aware_of/?tl=zh-hant

awesome

Definition: An overused code-mixing term by real ABC's in Hong Kong when they want to give praise or compliment to something, just like the word '正' in Cantonese but stronger.

Usage: E.g. 哇,今次個concert真係awesome! E.g. Woah! Awesome!

Synonym: 正

awkward

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a social situation where one feels very strange and uncomfortable, rather than an embarrassing situation where one feels ashamed or humiliated, as the Cantonese equivalent term '尷尬' can take on any of those two meanings.

Usage: E.g. 本來咁多人約左出黎食飯點知得返你地兩個,會唔會覺得好awkward? (Originally many people were going to have a meal together, but only two of you came. Did it feel awkward?)

Synonym: 尷尬

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@janemanic.english/post/DHpmw9YRm-y/很多人分不清-embarrassedembarrassing-和-awkward雖然它們都有尷尬的意思但用法不同-embarrassed-形容人的感受例如-i-?hl=zh-hk

bamboo stick

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person who is a yellow-skinned Asian but speaks English very well. I.e. Yellow on the outside but white on the inside like a bamboo stick. (竹升)

Usage: E.g. Please don’t treat me like a bamboo stick! (竹升) I know how to speak Chinese!

Synonym: 竹升

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