Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A euphemistic code-mixing term that refers to 'menstruation' in English.  However, it is also used as 'M記' to refer to McDonald\'s.

Usage: E.g. 唔好話我聽兒家先黎M麻？ E.g. 今次真係M到阿媽都唔認得喇！E.g. 今日又食M記？唔好喇掛！

Definition: Often used as '升le' (呢), this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to having made an advancement in something. (升級)

Usage: E.g. 哇！今次考試表現好左好多喎。簡直係升呢呀！

Synonym: 升級

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

Definition: A code-mixing term used by all sorts of Hong Kongers to refer to the popular trading card game called Magic the Gathering.

Usage: E.g. A: 打唔打magic呀? B: 等我整吓我個deck先再同你揪。(A: Do you want to play magic? B: Let me sort out my deck first before I dual with you.)

Synonym: Magic the Gathering, 魔法風雲會

Reference: https://magic.wizards.com/zh-Hant

Definition: 1. (noun) Often used as 'Ah head', this is a code-mixing term that refers to the boss or leader of a company or department. 2. (verb) Used to refer to being led by a person, usually someone of higher authority.

Usage: E.g. 你間公司個阿Head係邊個？我要見佢！\nE.g. 你醒目就唔會成日比人head住啦。

Synonym: 阿頭

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers when someone sneezes, which is similar to 'Bless you!' in English. (大吉利是)

Usage: E.g. A: Ack-choo! B: Big tangerine and red packets!

Synonym: 大吉利是

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing idiom used by native Hong Kongers to describe a situation where you cannot force someone into seeking help if they do not accept it.

Usage: E.g. I offered to help him with his homework but he never sent it over. Oh well... if the cow doesn't drink water, you cannot press the cow's head down.

Synonym: 牛唔飲水唔撳得牛頭低

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a restaurant located inside a school or company. However, it is worth noting that the origin of the word is from Europe and should not to be confused with ‘can-ting’ or ‘can-teng’ in Mandarin or Cantonese (餐廳), which start with the ‘ts’ sound instead of ‘k’ sound in ‘can’.

Usage: E.g. 今日好多人呀！快啲落canteen霸位啦！(There are so many people today! Let's go to the canteen to hog the seats first!)

Synonym: 飯堂; 食堂 ; 餐廳

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSKkZbOEqPJ/ (use mobile version)

Definition: Often pronounced with a rising tone, this is a code-mixing term that is often overused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong when they have trouble answering a question or want to avoid embarrassment.

Usage: E.g. Well，呢個問題我要諗吓先再答你。 E.g. Well，其實你都講得有道理。

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/128449/你是否-偽abc-chill-中文意思係咩-10個港人常用錯英文字

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the activity of finding a job, which definitely sounds more fun, exciting and challenging than the Cantonese equivalent terms '求職' and '找工作'.

Usage: E.g. A: 你搵到工嗎? B: 冇呀，我仲喺到job hunting。

Synonym: 求職, 找工作

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/comments/1opsow8/job_hunting_socialising_in_hk/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to an amount of work in a less quantifiable way, in order to sound less like they are complaining about how much work or burden they have.

Usage: E.g. 仲有task要做？我最近已經多左workload。(There are still tasks to do? I already have more workload recently.)

Synonym: 工作量

Reference: https://www.baby-kingdom.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=23644122