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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


656 results found

slow ton ton eat wonton

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who does things very slowly.

Usage: E.g. Get work done quickly! Stop slow ton ton eat wonton!

Synonym: 慢吞吞食雲吞

small potato

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers who want to sound humble yet not so insignificant when they are being asked what position they work in a company.

Usage: E.g. A: 哇!你間公司好出名喎。 B: 係呀,不過我只係small potato。(A: Wow! Your company is very famous. B: Yes, but I am just a small potato.)

Synonym: 小角色

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/4063839/page/1

snake king

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to slacking off at work.

Usage: E.g. Don't be such a snake king all the time! Get some work done!

Synonym: 蛇王

social

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to meeting and spending time with people as a normal everyday activity without sounding so deliberate.

Usage: E.g. 有冇人其實唔想同同事social (Is there anyone who actually doesn't want to socialise with colleagues?)

Synonym: 社交; 交際

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3655725/page/2

soft

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to not being strict enough when managing people. Also, it often tends to depict a weakness in character by describing a person is not forceful or harsh enough.

Usage: E.g. 同事話我太soft管唔到學生,我聽完好灰。(My colleague said I am too soft and cannot manage students like this. I felt very grey afterwards.)

Synonym: 不嚴厲

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU-fcZMgjI7/ (use mobile version)

solicitor

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to refer to the kind of lawyer occupation that mostly deals with documents but actually goes to court proceedings at times.

Usage: E.g. A: 你係咪做solicitor? 咁咪唔洗上court? B: 都要上court架,少啲咋麻。(A: Are you a solictor? Does that mean you don't need to go to court? B: I need to go to court, but relatively less.)

Synonym: 事務律師

Reference: https://cph-legal.com/2022/03/how-to-ace-a-job-interview-at-a-law-firm/

solo trip

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to describe going on a trip by oneself without sounding so alone or single.

Usage: E.g. 放假時我比較鍾意solo trip,因為咩都唔洗煩。(I like going on solo trips during holiday because I don't need to bother with anything else.)

Synonym: 單獨旅行, 獨旅

Reference: https://www.elle.com.hk/life/solo-trip

somehow

Definition: A way to avoid losing face or embarassment when you do not know how to answer the boss's question. However, it can be considered unprofessional if used too much at a workplace.

Usage: E.g. 你:我搵過好多次,但係somehow條數搵唔到。老細:哦,係呀?(你:我搵過好多次,但係唔知點解條數搵唔到。老細:咁實有原因架喎?) E.g. 你:個printer somehow壞左呀。老細:哦。(你:個printer唔知點解壞左呀。老細:我唔想聽到唔知點解!)

Synonym: 唔知點解

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/

sorry

Definition: An ultra polite code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who really know how to sincerely say sorry or apologise to someone.

Usage: E.g. Do姐:全部都錯。嗱,唔係sorly,係sorry,捲脷架。(Carol Cheng: All wrong. It's not sorly, it's sorry, you have to roll your tongue.)

Synonym: Sor, 對唔住

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPgONqRk7Qc/?igsh=NWZ3ODYzdjBydmdj (use mobile version)

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