Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to exercise done in the gym. Even though it is often used as '做gym' (do gym), it is not to be confused with 'doing the gym' because the gym is actually the place where people do exercise in native English.

Usage: E.g. 想唔想一齊做gym? (Want to work out / do exercise in the gym together?)

Synonym: 健身; 健身室; 健身室運動

Reference: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/做gym

Definition: This is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to social class.  However, it is often pronounced as 'car' or 'car屎' by grassroot class Hong Kongers.

Usage: E.g. 喂呢間餐廳好high car屎喎。 E.g. 今日洗唔洗著到咁high car屎呀? E.g. 唔好成日扮到咁high car啦。中左六合彩咩？

Synonym: 階層

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to describe a fat or ugly woman. (豬扒)

Usage: E.g. I think this girl is such a pork chop! I have no interest in her at all! (豬扒)

Synonym: 豬扒

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/16131/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers as a milder way of calling someone a newbie or referring to someone who is new or inexperienced at something.

Usage: E.g. 上次份banking工有feedback話我太green，想問我有無興趣去compliance到做。(There was feedback from my last banking job saying that I was too green, and they asked me whether I had an interest to work in compliance.)

Synonym: 新手; 缺乏經驗

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3981656/page/39

Definition: Often shortened to 'pkm' in textspeak, this is a code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers to refer to Pokemon. However, it is not to be confused with 'PK' in Cantonese, which is a vulgar expression meaning to tell someone to go to h*ll.

Usage: E.g 你本身唔中意pkm點爆都唔會開心 (If you don't like Pokemon, you will never be happy ripping open card boosters.)

Synonym: Pokemon

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@plee_0107/post/DakcU7DEg0D/

Definition: Often pronounced without the 'r' sounds and with a rising tone on the second syllable, this is an a lot more linguistically efficient way of referring to printer (打印機）in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 內地人:個打印機喺邊呀？ 香港人：咩話？三個字咁累贅。叫返ｐｒｉｎｔｅｒ啦唔該。

Synonym: 打印機

Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that even young and senior local Hong Kong students like to use to refer to duplicating information in the digital format because they were just never used to Chinese Windows.

Usage: E.g. Ａ：搵AI gen成編文出黎，再copy and paste落自己份功課到咪得囉。Ｂ：喂，你唔好教壞我喎？！(A: Just get the AI to generate some essay, then copy and paste it into your homework. Done! B: Hey, don't teach me a wrong habit!)

Synonym: 複製與貼上

Reference: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/香港語文

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong court judges to refer to demonstrating and establishing the truth or validity of something by providing evidence and argument, which is especially strong to use in a court of law.

Usage: E.g. 官：呢個，如果因為part of the prosecution case 嘅話，你一定要prove 嘅。(Judge: If this is part of the prosecution case, you must prove it.)

Synonym: 證明

Reference: https://hkupress.hku.hk/image/catalog/pdf-preview/9789888528202.pdf

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that refers to something that is so funny that one can die from having too much laughter.

Usage: E.g. Laugh die me喇！真係好搞笑呀。（笑死我）

Synonym: 笑死我

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/tag/kongish/

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person who is a yellow-skinned Asian but speaks English very well. I.e. Yellow on the outside but white on the inside like a bamboo stick. (竹升)

Usage: E.g. Please don’t treat me like a bamboo stick! (竹升) I know how to speak Chinese!

Synonym: 竹升