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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


802 results found

office

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers have unconsciously adopted to refer to a workplace because they have used Microsoft Office a bit too much growing up for doing homework and assignments. Usage: E.g. 聽日要返office?唔係打八號風球咩?!(We need to go to office tomorrow? Isn't it gonna be typhoon 8?!)Synonym: 辦公室Reference: https://www.jobmarket.com.hk/m/Bastille/返Shift網民大呻轉返Office工仲辛苦:朝九晚六先係真地獄?

finish

Definition: Often added with a ‘咗’ like the ‘-ed’ form in English for past tense, this is a code-mixing term that is used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to having completed something, such as an event or project. Usage: E.g. 你地finish咗個project未呀? E.g. 終於finish咗個event!Synonym: 完成Reference: https://www.businesstimes.com.hk/articles/157451/創新科技獎學金2024-挑選25位傑出大學生-每人最高15萬港元獎學金/

BB

Definition: Often used as 'baby pig' (BB豬) in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to call their lovers. Usage: E.g. BB豬,你買D咩生日禮物比我呀?Synonym: 寶貝

gchi

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term derived from '支持', meaning to support. Usage: E.g. 全靠大家GCHI,本會終於成功當選,今後仍然需要大家多多GCHI。Synonym: 支持Reference: https://hkdic.my-helper.com/gchi/

gay dor cheen

Definition: A romanised Cantonese phrase that westernised Hong Kongers use to ask a shopkeeper how much something costs, which is extremely effective when bargaining for a lower price at wet markets. It can also be shortened to 'gay cheen' (幾錢). Usage: E.g. Gay dor cheen? (幾多錢?) E.g. Gay cheen? (幾錢?)Synonym: 幾多錢?Reference: https://homekong.com.hk/blogs/read/helpful-cantonese-phrases-to-know

cam

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe a person with a feminised voice. Usage: E.g. 我覺得呢個男人cam cam哋。唔知真係男人定係女人呢?Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

sir

Definition: Often used as 'Ah sir' (阿sir), this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to a male teacher. (Also see 'Missy' for female teacher) Usage: E.g. 阿sir,我今日冇帶功課。可唔可以唔好罰我呀?Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

sharp

Definition: 1. (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe a person being clever or quick to notice things. Sometimes, it is used as 'sharp醒'. 2. (adj) Used to describe someone's appearance as being too eye-catching. Usage: E.g. 哇,乜今日咁sharp醒呀?咁快做哂D野? E.g. 呢件衫D顏色太sharp喇。Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

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

mood

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use instead of the Cantonese equivalent '心情'. Usage: E.g. 今日出面咁多人咁迫,真係冇咩mood行街。Synonym: 心情Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html
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