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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


681 results found

situationship

Definition: A code-mixing term that Gen Z native Hong Kongers use to describe a romantic relationship where there are low levels of commitment except for sexual behaviour. Usage: E.g. A: 你同佢發展成點呀? B: 冇呀,只係situationship。(A: How is your relationship going? B: No, we are just a situationship.)Synonym: 狀態戀情Reference: https://www.hk01.com/談情說性/377560/約會新詞-situationship-已經-沉船-但不能隨便跳船

job hunting

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the activity of finding a job, which definitely sounds more fun, exciting and challenging than the Cantonese equivalent terms '求職' and '找工作'. Usage: E.g. A: 你搵到工嗎? B: 冇呀,我仲喺到job hunting。Synonym: 求職, 找工作Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/comments/1opsow8/job_hunting_socialising_in_hk/

foul

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that refers to being eliminated in a competition, or being disqualified due to breaking the rules in a sports game. Usage: E.g. 小心比球證吹罰呀。再犯多次規就foul你出局。 E.g. 我第一round interview就比人foul左喇。真係慘慘豬。Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

lecture

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kong university students love to use instead of '講座', which means a formal talk on a subject by a professor. Usage: E.g. 其實上lecture根本浪費時間。Synonym: 講座Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/475538/page/2

cute

Definition: Often pronounced as 'Q' or used as 'Q-tee', this is a code-mixing term that is used by Hong Kongers instead of '可愛' in Cantonese. Usage: E.g. 哇,個公仔好Q呀! E.g. 港女:你睇吓我今日著得Q唔Q-tee呀?Synonym: 可愛Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

Out c

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to ‘out of syllabus’, which is used by local school students in Hong Kong. Usage: Past paper條題目out c左。

figure out

Definition: This is a code-mixing phrase that Hong Kongers like to use instead of '諗到' in Cantonese. Usage: E.g. 我暫時仲未figure out到點樣solve個problem。Reference: https://english.cool/code-switching/

clubbing

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to going to bars and clubs because they find the Cantonese equivalent terms a lot more suitable for a mature audience. Usage: E.g. A: 去唔去clubbing呀?B: 你指係邊啲?A: 緊唔係夜總會啦!(A: Do you want to go clubbing? B: Which type are you referring to? A: Of course not nightclubs!)Synonym: 夜店,夜總會Reference: https://jyutdictionary.com/dictionary/entry/夜總會

function

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to refer to a social event. Usage: E.g. 最近公司有咩function要搞?Reference: https://www.gotrip.hk/生活/中英夾雜-港式廣東話-gt12-772959/

individual

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe people who are really just minding their own business but not necessarily alone or single. Usage: E.g. 呢間bar啲人點呀?係唔係個個都好individual咁樣呀? (How are the people in this bar? Are they all really just minding their own business?)Synonym: 單獨Reference: https://www.threads.com/@matthew_lam1116/post/DAcSyqdScem?hl=zh-hk
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