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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 822 results

August 15

Definition: It is a slang used in casual, humorous contexts to describe the buttocks, often linked to the roundness of the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Usage: My first skateboard experience is i fell on my august 15th as soon as I stood on the board! Synonym: 八月十五Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/32249/

war game

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to a simulated military battle game where air guns are used. It is more appropriate to use than the Cantonese equivalent ‘野戰‘ because fighting a wild battle has sexual connotations in Cantonese. Usage: E.g. 男:不如一齊打war game好嗎? 女:好呀 (Boy: What about playing war game together? Girl: Sure!) E.g. 男:不如一齊打野戰好嗎?女:*啪!* (Boy: What about fighting a wild battle together? Girl: *Slap!*Synonym: 野戰Reference: https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/lin/cbrc/cbcl/doc/ppt/david_li.pdf

add

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers as a more natural and effortless way to ask for another person's contact number to their mobile phone list. Usage: E.g. 我唔係識左你好耐,不過可唔可以add左你先呀?(I haven't known you for long, but may I add you first?) E.g. 其實ig D女狂add 人係為左咩?(Why on earth are the girls on Instagram adding people wildly?)Synonym: 加Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2309015/page/1

project

Definition: A generic code-mixing term that can used for a number of different items in Cantonese. Usage: E.g. 你公司近排搞緊D咩project呀?(項目) E.g. 今次呢個project搞成點呀?(研究) E.g. 你諗住下次搞d咩project呀?(計劃) E.g. 小心D呀,唔見寫住project in progress咩?(工程)Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

consistent

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to something happening or behaving the same way as before over time. Usage: E.g. 我:‘I need to stay consistent!’ 講英文人:Consistent 廣東話係乜嘢?(Me: I need to stay consistent! English speaker: What is consistent in Cantonese?)Synonym: keep住Reference: https://www.threads.com/@tracywongdc/post/DE-HfeUuJEx

Key

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used with “啱key”, which refers to whether you get along well with somebody. Explanation: like the key in a piece of music. Usage: Eg. 你同你朋友啱唔啱key呀?Reference: https://shyyp.net/hant/phrase/啱key

handle

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to use when talking about work, as the Cantonese equivalent terms may denote a higher responsibility. Usage: E.g. 呢件事你handle可以嗎?(處理) E.g. 咁多功課hand唔handle到呀?(應付) E.g. 公司既財政邊個handle架?(負責)

sophisticated

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers when they want to avoid describing a problem as complicated because they have the intelligence to solve it. At other times, there is just not a word that covers all the meanings of intelligent, complicated and even elegant sometimes. Usage: E.g. 呢個問題唔係復雜,只係太過sophisticated。如果你識將個問題分拆,你就會解答得到。 (This problem is not complicated, but just too sophisticated. If you know how to break down the problem, you will be able to solve it.)Synonym: 複習Reference: https://www.facebook.com/okiokifamily/posts/有人在影片留言反映-為什麼我們有時會中英夾雜-我們一早有注意到這個問題問所以上字幕的時候全部改成為中文只有極少數情況例外例如英文字-sophisticated-/1187675216048224/

download

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to downloading files from the internet. ('下載') Sometimes, it is shortened to 'down' instead. Usage: E.g. Download個file落黎,再send比我呀唔該。Synonym: 下載

for some reason

Definition: A useful alternative if your boss is tired of hearing the word 'somehow' when you want to avoid saying 'I don't know' to a question. Usage: E.g. For some reason個file corrupt左。 E.g. For some reason個printer壞左。 E.g. For some reason今次個客唔搵我地。
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