Cantonese has a whole vocabulary for the sly, the slippery and the mischievous — words you learn from a Hong Kong auntie giving you side-eye, a schoolmate whispering during a test, or an office colleague quietly disappearing at 4:55pm. This volume of the Cantonese Dictionary collects 10 of the most-used words for being sneaky, cunning or just plain mischievous in Cantonese — the ones every Hong Konger uses in daily life. Fair warning: once you learn them, you will absolutely start noticing yourself doing them too.
The Cantonese Sneak Vocabulary
Cantonese has a soft spot for the underdog trickster. Being clever, quick and slightly rule-breaking is not just tolerated — it is celebrated. These 10 words range from cute mischief to cold-blooded office politics. Every single one earns its keep on a Hong Kong tongue.
1. 偷雞
tau1 gai1 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: To sneak away from work or duty; to slack off; to steal a moment for yourself.
Explanation: Literally "steal chicken". The metaphor is a fox slipping into a coop for a quick meal — small, quiet, low-risk theft. In modern Cantonese it is almost always used for skipping out of work early, ducking a task, or grabbing a smoke break when the boss is not looking.
If you have ever mastered the art of the 4:55pm exit, you already speak this word. Wear the punchline with the 偷雞 Stealing Chicken heavyweight tee.
2. 鬼馬
gwai2 maa5 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: Cunning, quick-witted, mischievous in a charming way.
Explanation: Literally "ghost horse". It describes someone who is clever, playful, always one step ahead — the kind of person who talks their way out of trouble and makes you laugh doing it. Whole Hong Kong comedy careers have been built on this word.
This word powers the whole 鬼馬 Ghost Horse hoodie — a wink at every Cantonese kid who talked their way out of a scolding.
3. 靜雞雞
zing6 gai1 gai1 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: Quietly, on the sly, without telling anyone.
Explanation: Literally "quiet chicken chicken" — the doubled chicken makes it a soft, hushed adverb. You use it when something is done under the radar: buying a birthday gift, leaving a WhatsApp group, or, in the classic case, eating the last piece of char siu bao while nobody is watching.
Move in silence — the 靜雞雞 Quiet Chicken tee is basically this word wearable.
The Slightly Darker Sneak Words
4. 陰濕
jam1 sap1 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: Underhanded, sinister, sneaky in a not-cute way.
Explanation: Literally "dark and damp" — like mould growing behind the wall. Reserved for people who play the long game and stab you when your back is turned. Nobody calls themselves 陰濕; it is always an accusation.
5. 詐諦
zaa3 dai3 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: To pretend, to feign, to play dumb on purpose.
Explanation: The classic Cantonese move of pretending you did not hear, did not see, did not know. Often doubled up as 詐詐諦諦 (zaa3 zaa3 dai3 dai3) for emphasis. Every Hong Kong parent and boss can spot it from a mile away.
6. 蛇王
se4 wong4 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: A slacker; someone who loafs on the job. Also used as a verb — to slack off, to skive.
Explanation: Literally "snake king" — snakes coil up and stay still, which is exactly what a shameless slacker does in the corner of the office. If someone calls you 蛇王, they have caught you in the act and they are grinning.
7. 出貓
ceot1 maau1 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: To cheat on an exam or test.
Explanation: Literally "release the cat" or "let the cat out". The word evokes something sneaky slipping out of a bag — a cheat sheet from a sleeve, a peek at a neighbour's paper. Every Hong Kong student learns this word before they learn calculus.
The Career-Grade Cunning
8. 老奸巨猾
lou5 gaan1 geoi6 waat6 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: Old and crafty; a seasoned schemer.
Explanation: A four-character idiom for someone who has been running rings around people for decades. Not something you say to their face — but perfect gossip over yum cha when the elders are describing that one uncle who somehow always ends up on the winning side.
9. 扮嘢
baan6 je5 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: To put on an act; to pretend to be something you are not.
Explanation: 扮 means "pretend to be" and 嘢 means "stuff/thing", so literally "putting on stuff". Cantonese speakers use it for anyone posturing — pretending to be rich, pretending to know a topic, pretending to still be working after the lights dim in the office. Related cousin: 扮工 (baan6 gung1), "pretending to work".
10. 使橫手
sai2 waang4 sau2 — Jyutping romanisation
Meaning: To use dirty tricks; to resort to underhanded methods to win.
Explanation: Literally "use a sideways hand" — the opposite of a straight, honest move. This is the vocabulary of triad films, business rivalries, and Hong Kong TVB dramas where somebody always says it right before the plot twist.
Why Cantonese Loves the Sneak
Cantonese speakers grew up in a city where being sharp was a survival skill — where the smartest kid was not the honour-roll grinder but the one who found the shortcut. The language reflects that. From playful 鬼馬 Ghost Horse cunning to the eye-roll-worthy 陰濕 backstab, every one of these words says something about how Cantonese people see the world: you can play by the book, or you can play smart. Both are respected.
These words also age well. Even in the diaspora — Toronto, Vancouver, London, San Francisco — Cantonese speakers hold onto them because they are hard to translate. "Sneaky" does not carry the wink of 鬼馬. "Slacker" misses the reptile humour of 蛇王. "Fake" is not as fun as 扮嘢. If you want to sound like a real Hong Konger, you need the whole cabinet.
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