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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


733 results found

last minute

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to the revision notes that they would read at the last moment before a DSE exam. Usage: E.g. 最後一分鐘(Last minute)系列 - 你點睇? (What do you think of the book series called Last Minute?)Synonym: 最後一分鐘Reference: https://blog.tutorcircle.hk/33397/最後一分鐘-last-minute-有冇用-好唔好/#google_vignette

ho sick

Definition: A romanised code-mixing term used by Hong Kong expats to describe something as delicious or very yummy. Usage: E.g. If you want to say something is delicious in Cantonese, you need to say 'ho sik'. The Jyutping for this is hou2 sik6. The 'sick' needs to be a low sixth tone.Synonym: 好食Reference: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wAqzV4KgPZA

invoice

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the formal document sent by a seller to a buyer as a request for payment, which is be differentiated from a receipt. Usage: E.g. 你俾完錢收到嘅果張係叫收據,係receipt,但啲大陸人係統一叫發票。(What you receive after payment should be called a receipt, but mainland Chinese people also refer to it as an invoice.)Synonym: 發票; 請款單Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2808375/page/1

counter

Definition: Pronounced as 'kaahn-taah' with a long back vowel and rising intonation, this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a cashier's counter, information desk or service counter. Usage: E.g. 小弟係個賣game仔,話說我今日放飯果陣緊係出去食飯啦,咁個counter緊係冇人啦 (I'm a game seller, and of course I went out to have lunch during my lunch break today, so there was no one looking after the counter.)Synonym: 收銀處; 客戶服務中心; 櫃檯Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/740067/page/1

appreciate

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers when they admire or recognise the value of someone or something and want to show gratitude at the same time. Usage: E.g. 好appreciate你咁短時間去練廣東話,真係好彩你聲底好靚,同埋你音樂感好好,即使廣東話唔係你最擅長嘅。(I really appreciate that you learned Cantonese in such a short period of time. It's very fortunate that you have a great voice and a very good music sense, even though Cantonese is not your strength.)Synonym: 欣賞;感激;多謝Reference: https://ol.mingpao.com/ldy/showbiz/latest/20260122/1769072872519/《中4》藝人代表「貓女郎」引發腹式呼吸之爭-肥媽被取笑鬧爆周國豐

work life balance

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a job benefit that often comes with some downsides or sacrifices in order to maintain a good balance between work and leisure, such as a lower salary. Usage: E.g. 網民A:講得出Work-life balance 嘅工多數都唔係Work-life balance (Netizen A: Jobs that say they have a work-life balance usually don't have work-life balance.) E.g. 網民H:人工低咪Work-life balance,但户口唔balance (Netizen H: If you have low salary, it means you have work-life balance, but your bank account will not have a balance.)Synonym: 工作與生活的平衡Reference: https://resources.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/35732/職場熱話-香港公司5日工作天就標榜自己係work-life-balance-事主-成日放工仲要覆message

no comment

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that working class Hong Kongers often use as a response to something they don't know an answer to. Usage: E.g. Q: 返工最撚憎聽到咩口頭蟬?A: No Comment 唔係開會/回覆其他部門啲 email. 係同 team 同事有嘢唔識走嚟問你意見,答乜撚嘢 No Comment (Q: What is a catchphrase that you hate hearing the most at work? A: "No comment". But not when it is used in meetings or replying other department's email. It is when a colleague in your team doesn't know something and asks for your opinion, you reply with "No comment". XDXDXD)Synonym: 冇意見Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2692508/page/3

negative

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers as a neutral and factual way of referring to interview feedback of disapproval. Usage: E.g. 今次interview既feedback都冇D咩negative野。(The interview feedback this time did not have anything negative.)Synonym: 負面Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1058101/page/1

freerider

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to a person who does not do any work in a group project but gets credit for it. Usage: E.g. Q: 大家見過最癲freerider係點? A: 試過group project分工之後 個freerider唔見左人 唔聽電話 唔睇 group message 直到present完之後先出現 (Q: Has anyone seen what the craziest freerider is like? A: I used to work in a group project where the freerider disappeared and we could not reach him by phone or group message. Then the freerider appeared after the presentation finished.)Synonym: 自由騎士Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2241139/page/7

sense

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the ability to understand and recognise something with our five senses, which include sight, hear, smell, taste and feel. Usage: E.g. 男人好容易sense到女人鍾意咗自己嘅咩?(Can a man very easily sense that a woman likes him?)Synonym: 感覺Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3392065/page/3
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