Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers that refers to a person who loves food and likes to try different kinds of food. However, it is often used as a term similar to the level of a gourmet even though the person may not be a food expert.

Usage: E.g. 而家啲ig foodie以為自己真係食評家。(Nowadays the foodies on IG really think they are real gourmets.)

Synonym: 美食愛好者

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2093295/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to whether people are on the same page of a situation or task.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得我地唔係好sync。可唔可以catch up一吓我地做既野?

Synonym: 同步

Reference: https://www.cw.com.tw/article/5114233

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to having a brief pause before acting rather than being so indecisive and not knowing what to do.

Usage: E.g. 我都覺小貴，所以hesitate緊。不過真係好靚。(I think it's a bit expensive so I am hesitating. But it's really beautiful.)

Synonym: 猶豫

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3167329/page/27

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kong university students love to use instead of '講座', which means a formal talk on a subject by a professor.

Usage: E.g. 其實上lecture根本浪費時間。

Synonym: 講座

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/475538/page/2

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by westernised Hong Kongers who really miss hearing the word Eve from Christmas Eve so much that they wished Christmas could prolong to the new year.

Usage: E.g. New Year’s Eve你會同朋友交換禮物嗎？B: 吓，唔係聖誕節先會交換禮物咩？！(Will you exchange gifts with friends on New Year's Eve? B: What? Don't people exchange gifts during Christmas instead?)

Synonym: 除夕

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/知性女生/60307715/除夕倒數2026-10大倒數好去處-迪士尼煙花-西九音樂會-倒數派對

Definition: A highly versatile code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to repair, solve, adjust, improve or make something work again, especially in the IT sector.

Usage: E.g. fix個bug幾日都仲未揾到個問題 (I've been fixing the bug for several days and still haven't found what the problem is.)

Synonym: 整; 修理; 解決

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3516188/page/32

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to ‘out of budget’, which is used by working class Hong Kongers in business meetings.

Usage: 做project management只睇兩樣。第一就係有冇outside個scope，第二就係有冇out bud。

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to the all sorts of thicknesses of bread served with toppings because they have eaten at Pizza Hut too many times and don't believe that pizza is merely '薄餅', which translates to thin bread in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. A: 想唔想食pizza? B: 好呀，不過我要食厚嗰隻芝心批喎。(A: Want to eat pizza? B: Sure, but I want to eat the thick kind of pizza with stuffed crust.)

Synonym: 薄餅

Reference: https://ufood.com.hk/restaurant/news/detail/20044615/全港10大Pizza推介-正宗意式口味-外脆內軟-邪惡拉芝/5

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to hanging up the phone.

Usage: E.g. 又cut我電話？咩事呀？ E.g. 呢D sales再打黎cut佢線得架喇。

Reference: https://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/item/cuhk-321644

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to illustrate the distance between two parties in terms of their communication, which is often due to their difference in job positions or departments in a company. Sometimes, it may be caused by forgeting to say "double confirm", which is a common phrase used by Hong Kongers at workplace to really make sure that certain information is correct.

Usage: E.g. 其實呢啲communication gap 大家可以做好D減少誤會，寫多兩句confirm is better。(As for these communication gaps, it is better for us all to try and minimise misunderstandings by saying 'confirm' more.)

Synonym: 溝通差距

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@purpzc/post/C-l0fNJyiZM?hl=en