Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a social situation where one feels very strange and uncomfortable, rather than an embarrassing situation where one feels ashamed or humiliated, as the Cantonese equivalent term '尷尬' can take on any of those two meanings.

Usage: E.g. 本來咁多人約左出黎食飯點知得返你地兩個，會唔會覺得好awkward? (Originally many people were going to have a meal together, but only two of you came. Did it feel awkward?)

Synonym: 尷尬

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@janemanic.english/post/DHpmw9YRm-y/很多人分不清-embarrassedembarrassing-和-awkward雖然它們都有尷尬的意思但用法不同-embarrassed-形容人的感受例如-i-?hl=zh-hk

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

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers like to use to refer to a distinctive characteristic by which someone or something can be identified.

Usage: E.g. 中英夾雜絕對係香港人signature。 E.g. 呢碟菜就係呢間餐廳既signature。

Synonym: 標誌，招牌菜

Reference: https://www.threads.net/@hongtonese/post/C8zlfwZytLZ

Definition: A polite way of addressing a stranger, usually a much older person, when you meet them for the first time.

Usage: E.g. 哈佬Auntie，你好呀！ E.g. 仔仔，快Ｄ叫聲Auntie啦。

Synonym: 阿姨; 姨姨

Reference: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3048345/hong-kong-comes-alive-learning-cantonese-make-sure-you-know

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often overused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to strike a western impression, as they believe knowing the 'r' sound will make them superior.

Usage: E.g. Rrreally？可唔可以再講多次呀？ E.g. 唔係嘛？Rrrreally？你話你D英文標準過我？

Synonym: 真的嗎; 真係

Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/港式英文講過舉手-偽abc-語錄-2124292580433974.html

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who is so stubborn that their neck is like leaning towards one side.

Usage: E.g. Listen to us for once! Don't be always so dead cow's one-sided neck la!

Synonym: 死牛一邊頸

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often misused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to mean 'outfit'.

Usage: E.g. BB豬，我今日個ｏｕｔｌｏｏｋ係咪好靚呀？

Synonym: 外表

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 overseas educated Hong Kongers use in place of the Cantonese equivalent '交換'.

Usage: E.g. Ａ：我地swap一個球員好唔好？Ｂ：好呀，我同你swap啦。

Synonym: 交換

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers prefer to use to accompany Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus because they can experience the happiness first with ‘merry’ compared to the Cantonese equivalent ’聖誕節快樂‘ where the happiness '快樂‘ is placed after Christmas.

Usage: E.g. 聖誕節又黎喇！Merry Christmas! (Christmas is coming! Merry Christmas!)

Synonym: 聖誕節快樂, 聖誕快樂

Reference: https://www.weekendhk.com/香港好去處/聖誕好去處-商場-打卡-飄雪-3275849/

Definition: A code-mixing word that Hong Kongers love to use to refer to '資料庫' in the IT sector.

Usage: E.g. 連得到個database未? 定係connect唔到呢?

Synonym: 資料庫