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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


404 results found

facial

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to getting a facial treatment. Usage: E.g. 日日做facial塊面先至靚架麻。 E.g. 做緊facial咪鬼打黎啦。Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

try

Definition: A less cliche and irritating sounding code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to quickly test or experience something first, in order to know whether it is suitable for them in the long term. Usage: E.g. 有新game出左?等我try吓先。 (A new game came out? Let me try first.) E.g. 買左件衫比我?等我try try先。 (Bought a shirt for me? Let me try try first.)Synonym: 嘗試, 試Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2866301/page/17

puppy love

Definition: An irreplaceable code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the kind of love relationship that one can get while being a teenager or kid. Usage: E.g. 咁細個就談戀愛?Puppy love呀? E.g. 唔好成日掛住puppy love啦。讀好D書先啦。Reference: https://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/item/cuhk-321644

share

Definition: An overused code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to sharing something. Usage: E.g. 快D po你D相上網同大家share吓啦。 E.g. 去完旅行買左D咩好野同大家share吓啦。 E.g. 今日開會有咩想同大家share吓呢?

look forward

Definition: Originated from business emails and often said without a ‘to’ at the end, this is a code-mixing phrase that working class Hong Kongers would use in non-business settings when they really anticipate the happening of an event. Usage: E.g. 我好look forward今餐會食咩。(I really look forward to what I will be eating for this meal.) E.g. 我好look forward今次既足球比賽。(I really look forward to this football match.)Synonym: 期待Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/42024/lookforwardto點用-後面動詞需要加ing-與lookingforwardto有甚差別-用法-例句

list out

Definition: Often mistakened as grammatically incorrect and seen as redundant with ‘out’ conforming to ‘列出‘ in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to jotting down a number of items on a piece of paper or device. Usage: E.g. 你可以先list out所有項目,然後研究每一個點樣做。(You may first list out all the items, then study how each one can be done.)Synonym: 列出Reference: https://ludwig.guru/s/list+out

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

high tea

Definition: A code-mixing term that upper class Hong Kongers love to use to refer to ‘下午茶’, which is afternoon tea. Usage: E.g. 今日下晝有冇時間high tea呀? E.g. High唔high tea呀你? (下午茶)Synonym: 下午茶

check in

Definition: An ultra convenient code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to registering your arrival at a place like a hotel or airport, as the Cantonese equivalent '辦理入住手續' sounds too long and verbose. Usage: E.g. 快D check in左先啦,至後再慢慢搵野食。Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf

Nei g ng ng ngo kong mut?

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase used by local student Hong Kongers when they want to ask whether someone understands what they are talking about. Usage: E.g. Nei g ng g ngo kong mut? (Do you know what I am saying?)Synonym: 你知唔知我講乜?Reference: https://www.socialcareer.org/blogs/do-you-really-know-cantonese