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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary
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104 results found

sweet

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone who is nice and kind, as well as an intimate relationship between a couple. Usage: E.g. 哇，你真係好sweet呀！（貼心） E.g. 呢對情侶好sweet呀。（甜蜜）Synonym: 貼心, 甜蜜
2023-03-04

native

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to someone who was born or grew up in a particular country, which Hong Kongers find it a lot more convenient to use than the Cantonese equivalent words because it requires much less linguistic effort. Usage: E.g. 你係唔係native speaker黎架？（講本國語既人） E.g. 你Ｄ英文係咪native架？（純正本土口音）Reference: https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/city-university-of-hong-kong/world-englishes/lecture-3-city-university-of-hong-kongen5714-world-englishes-and-the-social-context-of/20063922
2023-03-04

raise flag

Definition: Used as '立flag', this is a code-mixing term used by local student Hong Kongers to refer to being very vocal about what you want to do, but end up doing something that is completely opposite. Usage: E.g. 佢又立flag話以後會減肥，點知佢就走左食buffet。Synonym: 立flagReference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now
2024-06-10

cheese cake

Definition: Often expressed as two separate words ‘cheese’ and ‘cake’, this is a code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who have more than a regular habit of going to Starbucks or Pacific Coffee to eat cheesecake. Usage: E.g. A: 唔該，我想要十個blueberry cheeeeese cake. B: 唔好意思，冇咁多個。(Excuse me, may I have ten blueberry cheesecakes? B: I’m sorry, but there aren’t that many.)Synonym: 芝士蛋糕Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/760451/page/1
2026-01-17

show me your love rice

Definition: Translated from the punning of ‘粟米肉粒飯’ (shuk mai yuk lup fan), this is a Kongish code-mixing term that refers to a rice dish with creamed corn and pork served in Hong Kong Cha Chaan Tang restaurants. Usage: E.g. Excuse me, may I have a ‘show me your love rice’?Synonym: 粟米肉粒飯Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/12/kongish-a-new-language-of-hong-kongers/
2024-06-12

collect skin

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to tell somebody to shut the f**k up. It is used instead of the Cantonese equivalent '收皮' in order to tone down the directness of this very rude phrase. It originates from street vendors who used to pack their things up on wooden mats when police arrived back in those days of Hong Kong. Usage: E.g. 喂，講完未呀？Collect skin啦。E.g. 真係頂你唔順呀，快D collect skin啦。Synonym: 收皮Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now?utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_medium=instagram&utm_source=dash+hudson&utm_content=www.instagram.com/p/Cy8AD_WtaxO/
2023-10-29

off

Definition: A more polite way of telling somebody to shut up or '收皮' in Cantonese, which means to pack their things up and leave. (Also see 'collect skin') Usage: E.g. Off啦你，成日咁多野講。E.g. Off啦你，成日搞搞陣冇幫襯。Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-收皮-collect-skin/
2024-04-16

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/
2024-07-01

give you some color see see

Definition: A euphemistic way of saying to somebody that you want to teach them a lesson or show them what you've got. (比D顏色你睇) Usage: E.g. 咁寸?! Let me give you some color see see!Synonym: 比D顏色你睇
2024-04-16

eat c

Definition: A euphemistic way of telling somebody to eat sh*t (食屎). Usage: E.g. 咁巴閉?! Eat c la!
2024-04-16
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