Define Your Term | Login
What is code-mixing? | Mission | About | Learn More | Downloads | Lectures | Videos |
Instagram Instagram
English | Chinese

Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary
New!
Most Popular

10 random words out of 744 results

small potato

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers who want to sound humble yet not so insignificant when they are being asked what position they work in a company. Usage: E.g. A: 哇！你間公司好出名喎。 B: 係呀，不過我只係small potato。(A: Wow! Your company is very famous. B: Yes, but I am just a small potato.)Synonym: 小角色Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/4063839/page/1
2026-03-01

A0

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish codemixing term that refers to a person who has never been in a relationship before. I.e. Available = 0. Usage: E.g. Nei dou year 4 lah, ng hai lum ju a0 grad har wah. （你都Year 4啦，唔係諗住A0 grad吓話。）Reference: https://www.hk01.com/article/283411?utm_source=01appshare&utm_medium=referral
2024-06-24

scan

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to the Cantonese equivalent '掃描'. Usage: E.g. 可以scan份document比我嗎？ E.g. 喂，個scanner壞左呀。幾時搵人黎整呀？Synonym: 掃描Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/mens-talk/simon-shen-hong-kong-english-chinese
2023-03-04

chee sor hai bin

Definition: A romanised Cantonese phrase that westernised Hong Kongers use when they want to ask where a washroom is. Usage: E.g. Chee sor hai bin? (廁所喺邊?)Synonym: 廁所喺邊?Reference: https://homekong.com.hk/blogs/read/helpful-cantonese-phrases-to-know
2024-07-02

Wa

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used as an interjection to express surprise, which is equivalent to ‘wow’ in English. Usage: E.g. Wa! People mountain people see! (So many f***ing people)Synonym: 哇
2024-04-21

jor

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term transliterated from ‘咗’, which is equivalent to the ‘-ed’ particle for past tense in English. Usage: E.g. Jo jor gong for mei ar? (做咗功課未呀？） E.g. Sik jor farn mei ar? (食咗飯未呀？）Synonym: 咗Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/
2024-06-13

aware

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to noticing something in a more passive and less intentional way. Usage: E.g. 我唔係唔知道發生咩事，只不過當時我唔係咁aware周邊既環境姐。(It's not that I don't know what was going on, but I was just not aware of my surrounding environment at that time.)Synonym: 意識；知道；察覺；為意Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/1chahae/difference_between_realize_and_be_aware_of/?tl=zh-hant
2026-05-04

trip

Definition: A Hong Kong style business trip where one tries to enjoy himself like going on a vacation, in addition to visiting a client for work purposes. Usage: E.g. 老闆：下個星期你要幫我出trip見個客，知道嗎？　你：好呀！ E.g. 唔知今次出trip好唔好玩呢？Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/mens-talk/simon-shen-hong-kong-english-chinese
2023-03-02

menu

Definition: A code-mixing term used by grassroots Hong Kongers who prefer a QR code rather than a physical a food menu when they eat at a high class restaurant. Usage: E.g. 入到居酒屋見到張menu唔識叫。(On entering the Izakaya restaurant, I saw the menu but didn't know how to order.)Synonym: 餐牌Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3970505/page/1
2026-01-31

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
2024-04-15
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Define Your Term | Learn More