Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More | Lecture Slides
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 622 results

suppose

Definition: A generic term for a number of equivalent Cantonese words used to avoid absolute certainty. Usage: E.g. 件貨suppose今日到。(預期-expectedly/predictably) E.g. 我suppose你係岩既。 (假設-guess) E.g. 警察係suppose要保護市民。 (應該-should)

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

friend

Definition: (adj) Often pronounced as 'fan', this is a noun-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe the degree of a friendship. Usage: E.g. 你係咪同佢好fan架? E.g. 喂,你唔好扮哂好fan咁喎。我都唔係識左你好耐。 E.g. 其實我同你唔係好fan。Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

nice

Definition: A way to express how nice someone is on the surface. Usage: E.g. 佢個人好nice,但係識耐左先知道原來係虛偽。E.g. 佢個人好nice,不過唔知個人好唔好呢?

Pokemon card

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers who are obsessed with the Pokemon trading card game that they are willing to collect and resell pokemon cards of the highest values. Usage: E.g. 藍田站交收 20 萬 Pokemon Card 慘被搶。(A man was robbed while exchanging $200,000 worth of Pokemon Cards at Lam Tin Station.)Synonym: 精靈寶可夢 (China), 神奇寶貝 (Taiwan), 寵物小精靈 (Hong Kong), ポケモンカードゲーム (Japan)Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20085941/藍田站交收-萬-pokemon-card-慘被搶去卡錢盡失-網民嘲-咁貴都唔出閘面交/1

long time no see

Definition: Pronounced as 'long tie lo see', this is a code-mixing term used by grassroots class Hong Kongers for greeting someone they have not seen for a long time. Usage: E.g. 喂!Long tie lo see!Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/mens-talk/simon-shen-hong-kong-english-chinese

worse

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often misused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to refer to something of bad quality. Usage: E.g. 個湯凍嘅,真係好worse囉。Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/128449/你是否-偽abc-chill-中文意思係咩-10個港人常用錯英文字

ni gor

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong expats when they want to order something in a restaurant but don't know how to read a menu. Usage: E.g. Mm goi waiter! Ni gor please!Synonym: 呢個, thisReference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

shopping

Definition: A more neutral-sounding term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to '購物' or '買野', which signify the commitment to buying things. Usage: E.g. 女朋友:我地聽日去商場啦。男朋友:吓?又買野?!女朋友:唔係呀。去shopping咋嘛。 E.g. 女朋友:我地聽日去shopping啦。男朋友:又買野?!女朋友:去window shopping咋嘛。Reference: https://www.academia.edu/1177618/Cantonese_English_code_switching_research_in_Hong_Kong_A_survey_of_recent_research

zero chicken egg

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students use to emphasize the zero mark they got in a test or exam, which they like to honour themselves with because not only a chicken egg has the shape of the zero number, but also it has become a friendly treat that they are used to eating all the time. Usage: E.g. Oh no! I got a zero chicken egg in my exam again!Synonym: 零雞蛋Reference: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/零雞蛋