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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 917 results

check

Definition: (verb) A more suitable term for the Cantonese equivalent word '檢查', which sounds too formal and serious, like doing a body check.

Usage: E.g. 同我check吓份文件好嗎?

Synonym: 檢查

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

charge

Definition: 1. A code-mixing term that refers to a payment for goods or services. 2. Often pronounced as '差廚' (caa1 cyu4), this is a code-mixing term that is used by Hong Kongers to refer to being charged for a crime.

Usage: E.g. 呢間餐廳有冇minimum charge? E.g. 今次冇落charge?!真幸運!

Of course

Definition: A phrase used by native Hong Kongers to affirm that something is true or obvious, usually among friends and relatives in informal settings, especially with the particle 'la' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 朋友: 今日出街記住載口罩。 你:Of course啦! E.g. 女朋友: 哇,你好叻呀。 你:Of course啦! E.g. 男朋友: 估唔到你咁醒目。 你:Of course啦!

scare die me

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase that working class Hong Kongers use when they are scared and freaked out by something.

Usage: E.g. Scare die me! You are so early in office today?!

Synonym: 嚇死我

Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/20239/2025職場英語-別再說-LIST-OUT-10大常見港式英語錯誤-外國人都聽唔明-4個戒掉港式英語必學的商業用語及常用英式廣東話一覽

work

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kongers to emphasize the reality of a situation, as even lovers have a working relationship sometimes. In other cases such as a workplace, it is simply to match the working atmosphere.

Usage: E.g. 你:我地之間唔係好work呀,你明唔明呀?男/女朋友:明白。(你:我地之間唔係好得呀,你明唔明呀?男/女朋友:你講緊邊方面唔得呀?!) E.g. 你:個program唔work呀。老細:哦。(你:個program唔得呀。老細:又唔得!)

hang

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to computer that has become unresponsive, due to a halt or freeze.

Usage: E.g. 部電腦新買架喎,咁易hang機?! E.g. 係咪唔夠RAM所以hang左呀?

Synonym: 當機

imagine

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students when they want to avoid sounding too unrealistic when giving an example to illustrate a point.

Usage: E.g. Imagine 你嘅英文好差,但係入咗英文中學,考試嗰陣第一步係要將全部唔識嘅英文轉做中文睇 (Imagine your English were very poor, but you entered an English secondary school. Then you had to read all the English like you read Chinese during the exams.)

Synonym: 幻想

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@shc.sky_903/post/DTdra9mkzdQ?xmt=AQF0-Ws357d_MFFUTUJO5WSCyunIf9vLyvu-aYt8Xozsek2mL71adEzGvSmHr3CNFlNH3LGn&slof=1

cheque

Definition: (noun) The Hong Kong way of referring to '支票' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 可以開張cheque比我嗎?

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

Best

Definition: Often expressed as ‘老best’ meaning 'old best', this is a code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers to refer to a best friend that a person has known for a long time. (呢個好大部分時候係攞嚟應用自己啲friend呀樣表達自己個friend係好老友囉咁樣)

Usage: E.g. 你哋睇下呢個係我老best。(Let me show all of you. This is my old best friend.)

Synonym: 睇下呢個係我個好朋友, 老友, old best friend

Reference: https://mingpaomonthly.com/article/details/語文.書話/2025-02/1737624129007/老best、bestie有咩分別?%20(歐陽偉豪)

arm arm

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase that local Hong Kongers use to refer to something that has just happened.

Usage: E.g. My frd arm arm told me kui find gun ppl. E.g. Ngo arm arm sik jor farn. (我啱啱食左飯。)

Synonym: 啱啱

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/283411/大學生打字用火星文-10句港式英文拼音大挑戰-測試你識幾多

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