Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe having a short attention span or memory usually due to being tired.

Usage: E.g. 我今日好low ram呀。我諗食完飯之後就唔去下場喇。(I think I have a short attention span today. I think I will finish dinner and not go to the next round.)

Synonym: 記憶力

Definition: Originated from sports and often used with a ‘咗’ in Cantonese denoting past tense, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to deceiving someone with a posture or misinformation rather than something like a fraud or scam, even though it can be serious at times causing real inconvenience to people.

Usage: E.g. 俾 "轉工要趁後生" 呢句嘢fake咗 (I got misled by the saying "Take the opportunity to change jobs while we are young".)

Synonym: fake咗

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3004954/page/2

Definition: (textspeak) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a trap or something of an inferior quality, which is comparable to the word 'dodgy' in English.

Usage: E.g. This job is not what I thought! So fuk!

Synonym: 伏

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now?utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_medium=instagram&utm_source=dash+hudson&utm_content=www.instagra (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers as a less judgemental way of describing someone as unkind or unfriendly but not to the point of being so harsh and critical.

Usage: E.g. 其實香港人而家可唔可以唔好咁mean? (Can Hong Kong people actually be less mean nowadays?)

Synonym: 刻薄; 衰

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/_siW0xsDc/

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a common code-mixing slang term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a western male person, which is transliterated from '鬼佬', meaning 'ghost man'.

Usage: E.g. Try talking to the gweilo to practice your English!

Synonym: 鬼佬

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gweilo

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to gestures and customs that an employee must do or learn when they work in a company.

Usage: E.g. 老細黎到仲唔識DO? 快D讓座同沖杯咖啡比佢啦！ E.g. 打工仔要識DO先得，如果咪好快冇得撈。

Synonym: 做

Reference: https://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/lifestyle/archive/goodjob/23372

Definition: A code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers often use to ask someone to go to an event in a polite and semi-formal manner.

Usage: E.g. A: 可唔可以叫埋我個friend黎？B: 好呀，等我invite埋佢啦。(A: Can you get my friend to come as well? B: Sure, let me invite him.)

Synonym: 邀請

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2051830/page/2

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the Cantonese swear word '仆街', which literally translates to 'trip on the street'.

Usage: E.g. 聽日交唔到貨就PK喇！ E.g. 玩我？！ 你個PK！

Definition: (adj) Often pronounced as 'fan', this is a noun-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe the degree of a friendship.

Usage: E.g. 你係咪同佢好fan架？ E.g. 喂，你唔好扮哂好fan咁喎。我都唔係識左你好耐。 E.g. 其實我同你唔係好fan。

Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

Definition: (vulgar, offensive) An Englishised code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers love to get their Asian parents to say in order to show others it is amusing. However, some Hong Kongers may not find it is that funny because the pronunciation of the Cantonese equivalent words '花橋粟米的士' only roughly resembles 'f*** you suck my d*ck', which means it is kind of a broken joke.

Usage: E.g. Mommy, point to the camera and say 'flower bridge corn taxi'!

Synonym: 花橋粟米的士

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DQ214-EgFps/ (use mobile version)