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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 917 results

grammar

Definition: Often pronounced as 'grandma', this is a code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students use to refer to the set of rules that define the structure of a language, which can be difficult and annoying sometimes like a grandma.

Usage: E.g. 今次考試要考埋英文grammar。真係好麻煩呀!(The exam will also cover English grammar this time. So frigging annoying!)

Synonym: 語法

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3389792/page/1

cream

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Miss Hong Kong celebrity Grace Chan to refer to an "unknown liquid" that was splashed on her son’s head by a woman while watching a Spiderman movie in a cinema.

Usage: E.g. 陳凱琳指兒子被淋Cream受驚已報警:而據悉在觀眾散場時,該名女子疑因不滿而突然發難,涉嫌直接向陳凱琳兒子的頭部潑淋不明乳狀液體,隨後迅速離開現場。愛子心切的陳凱琳在諮詢後,已於翌日前往中區警署報案 (Grace Chan reported to the police after her son was splashed by cream: It is reported that as the audience was leaving, a woman apparently dissatisfied suddenly lashed out, allegedly pouring an unknown liquid directly on the head of Grace Chan’s son before quickly fleeing. Deeply concerned for her son, Grace Chan sought advice and filed a police report at Central Police Station the next day.)

Synonym: 忌廉

Reference: https://www.stheadline.com/film-drama/3600942/陳凱琳回應影院風波-證二仔被淋Cream已報警好心痛-兒子疑踢凳惹女觀眾發難

jetso

Definition: This is an Englishised term of the Cantonese words '著數', which refers to advantages that one can offer.

Usage: E.g. 如果我幫你,你會比我D咩jetso先?

Synonym: 著數

Reference: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/hk-magazine/article/2038083/what-exactly-jetso

Mommy told you

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong KOL Janice (janicewanwan) who is known for playing "Jayden’s mother" to emphasize the correctness of her teachings as a typical modern mom, which she says must be correct.

Usage: E.g. 中英夾雜有助 children 盡快 pick up English。Mommy told you 嘅一定是 correct 的. (Chinese-English code-mixing aids children in picking up English more quickly. Whatever Mommy told you must be correct.)

Synonym: 媽媽告訴你

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/即時娛樂/60339385/jayden之亂-中英夾雜潮文橫掃社交平台-諷刺港媽真實育兒方式?utm_campaign=native&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=01webshare#google_vignette

dor jeh

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase that foreigners use to utter the phrase 'thank you' in Cantonese when they receive a red packet during Chinese New Year.

Usage: E.g. Dor jeh! Gung hei fat choi!

Synonym: 多謝

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

click

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being able to like and understand someone.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得我同你click唔到。

Synonym: 相處融洽

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2736661/page/3

finance

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use as a broader term to refer to a whole load of stuff related to managing money, assets, investments, borrowing and more. Sometimes, it is also used as another term for money, especially when the word money just sounds sensitive to a person.

Usage: E.g. A: 你做咩行業? B: Finance. A: 咁係做銀行, 財務管理, 投資定係咩? (A: What industry do you work in? B: Finance. A: So do you work in bank, asset management, investment or what? E.g. 今餐有D貴。你有冇finance? (This meal is quite expensive. Do you have finance?)

Synonym: 金融,財務,財政,資金

Reference: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/金融学

eat wet rice

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who is useless and is a waste of money to raise him or her up. (食濕米 or 食塞米)

Usage: E.g. You cannot get anything done at all today? Do you eat wet rice? (你係咪食塞米?)

Synonym: 食濕米, 食塞米

Reference: https://shyyp.net/hant/phrase/%E9%A3%9F%E5%A1%9E%E7%B1%B3

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

ho dor

Definition: (textspeak) Transliterated from ‘好多’ meaning ‘a lot’ or ‘many’, this is a Kongish code-mixing term used by local student Hong Kongers to complain about the excess of homework.

Usage: E.g. Ho dor gong for ah! (好多功課呀!)

Synonym: 好多

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/

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