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Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

A contemporary Cantonese-English dictionary


10 random words out of 622 results

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

hello

Definition: Often pronounced as 'ha-lo', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers often use to greet somebody instead of '你好', which sounds too formal sometimes. Usage: E.g. Ha-lo,我叫Peter。你叫咩名?

cappacino

Definition: A code-mixing term used by the upper class Hong Kongers to refer to the espresso-based coffee made with steamed milk because the Cantonese equivalent '意大利泡沫咖啡' is too sophisticated to say. Usage: E.g. A:我平時最鍾意飲意大利泡沫咖啡。香港人:你指cappucino?Synonym: 意大利泡沫咖啡

toilet

Definition: A euphemistic code-mixing term that refers to the same item ‘廁所’ in Cantonese. Usage: E.g. 老師,唔該可唔可以去toilet呀? E.g. 咁多位,我去一去toilet先。Reference: https://sites.google.com/site/hongkonglinguistics/Downhome/language-contact-in-hong-kong/cantonese-englishintra-sententialcode-switchinginhongkong

lang

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to refer to '靚', which describes something as beautiful or good-looking. Usage: E.g. No, but seriously it’s really lang, you are the one who said hou ce right?Reference: http://www.lingref.com/isb/4/039ISB4.PDF

boss

Definition: Often pronounced as '波士', this is a more polite sounding code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to '老闆', especially when working in a corporate company. Usage: E.g. 做波士就好啦。我地呢班打工仔一世做奴隸。Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

Robert

Definition: Often used as an idiom, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to a stupid person. (For female version, see 'Lulu') Usage: E.g. 唔好當我係Robert喎! (Stop treating me like a stupid person!)

user

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to the Cantonese equivalent '使用者'. Usage: E.g. 同完個user傾好要咩feature未呀? E.g. 喺user既角度,呢個係一個bug。
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe that something must be done no matter how worse the situation is. Usage: E.g. I don't care three seven twenty one. This project must proceed!Synonym: 唔理三七廿一Reference: https://www.ourchinastory.com/zh/5530/何謂「唔理三七廿一」?%C2%A0

cc

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers love to use to refer to sending a copy of an email message to another recipient. Usage: E.g. 份email記住cc埋比所有人。Synonym: 抄送