Cantonese gang slang

This just popped up on Twitter from @freddint via @raykwong. It’s a dictionary of Cantonese slang used by gang members, dated 1994 and intended for law enforcement. From the file:

The purpose of this project is to provide a “starter” dictionary that can grow with additions from law enforcement officers investigating Asian criminal activities as well as academic and community sources interested in Asian gang culture.

It’s pretty interesting, though I’m certain it would be more so if I had more experience with Cantonese. Some of the entries are as follows:

開片 Hoi peen
   To start a fight
老毛 Lo mo
   Money Money containted in a red envelope given to the
   winnder of a fight by the loser
鐵  Tit
   The police, a handgun
牛房 Ngao fong
   An illegal gambling den

A number of the entries aren’t really slang at all, for example 打牌 for gambling, but the few that are are fairly interesting.

It’s 68 pages, not including the index, each page having about 9 entries. Here’s the link if you missed it above.

One response to “Cantonese gang slang”

  1. Jessie says:

    唔该晒~

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