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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 822 results

tea

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong people love to use to refer to afternoon tea '下午茶'. Usage: E.g. 今日有冇時間食個tea呀? E.g. 週末不如一齊去high tea好嗎?Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

wai wai wai

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to forming inner circles and having decisions made by its members. Usage: E.g. You think they are really inviting a bid? They are just wai wai wai!Synonym: 圍威喂Reference: https://words.hk/zidin/圍威喂

travel

Definition: A chique sounding code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to refer to going on a trip without quite knowing the particular destination. Usage: E.g. A: 今次假期又去邊到呀? B: 唔知呀,我鍾意去呢到travel吓,又去嗰到travel吓,總之去到邊就邊囉。(A: Where will you go this holiday? B: I don't know. I just like to travel here and travel there, just wherever I travel then where I go.)Synonym: 旅遊

ending

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to the ending of a matter, story, or event. Usage: E.g. Ending係點,我地自己決定架。(來至電影"明日戰記")Synonym: 結局

proposal

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often used in the workplace environment of Hong Kong to refer to a proposal document. Usage: E.g. 老細叫你打嗰份proposal打完未呀?E.g. 今次份proposal太短喇,又唔夠detail。再打過啦。Synonym: 計劃書

meme

Definition: Often pronounced as ‘mee-mee’ with a falling intonation, this is a code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to an idea, image or video that is spread quickly on the internet. Usage: E.g. 有冇人覺得香港人整啲meme好撚尷尬???(Does anyone think the memes made by Hong Kong people are so f***ing awkward?)Synonym: 迷因圖, 咪咪Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2213202/page/18

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/

chicken and duck talk

Definition: (idiom) Derived from '雞同鴨講', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe two people who are unable to understand each other due to a difference of language or values. In other words, the conversation just seems to go round and round with each person talking over each other. Usage: E.g. I think we will never understand each other because we work in different departments. What a chicken and duck talk!Synonym: 雞同鴨講Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-word-of-the-month-雞同鴨講-chicken-duck-talk/

mm sick teng

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase that Hong Kong expats use when they don't understand what someone is saying in Cantonese. Usage: Hong Konger: 你叫咩名? Expat: Mm sick teng.Synonym: 唔識聽Reference: https://geoexpat.com/forum/53/thread22332-2.html

present

Definition: An irreplaceable code-mixing term meaning to deliver a speech, as saying the Cantonese equivalent term '匯報' would sound too old school and non-colloquial. Usage: E.g. 你幾時要present呀? E.g. 今次份assignment難唔難present呀?Reference: https://www.academia.edu/8666953/Common_usage_of_code-mixing_among_trilingual_Hong_Kongers
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