Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to the Cantonese equivalent '掃描'.

Usage: E.g. 可以scan份document比我嗎？ E.g. 喂，個scanner壞左呀。幾時搵人黎整呀？

Synonym: 掃描

Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/mens-talk/simon-shen-hong-kong-english-chinese

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to '手提電腦'.

Usage: E.g. 你部laptop用咩CPU架？好似好快喎。

Synonym: 手提電腦

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong people love to use to refer to afternoon tea '下午茶'.

Usage: E.g. 今日有冇時間食個tea呀？ E.g. 週末不如一齊去high tea好嗎？

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

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe that something must be done no matter how worse the situation is.

Usage: E.g. I don't care three seven twenty one. This project must proceed!

Synonym: 唔理三七廿一

Reference: https://www.ourchinastory.com/zh/5530/何謂「唔理三七廿一」？%C2%A0

Definition: A romanised code-mixing term that is used to describe something, a person, or state as being so-so, or just okay in quality.

Usage: E.g. A: How was the event? B: Ma ma dei la. E.g. A: How are you today? B: Ma ma dei la. E.g. A: What do you think of this shirt? B: I think it's ma ma dei.

Synonym: 麻麻地

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-descriptive-slang-phrases

Definition: A more positive-sounding code-mixing term compared to the same item (計劃) in Cantonese.  Often pronounced as 'pan'.

Usage: E.g. 做D咩都要plan定先得架麻。 E.g. 做Ｄ咩都要計劃好先得架麻。(you may sound like a schemer in this one! XD)

Reference: https://aclanthology.org/O09-5003.pdf

Definition: Often pronounced as 'ha-lo', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers often use to greet somebody instead of '你好', which sounds too formal sometimes.

Usage: E.g. Ha-lo，我叫Peter。你叫咩名？

Synonym: 哈佬

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who think that there should not be work life balance in a job.

Usage: E.g. 鍾培生：創立HKTCG呢段時間，我發現工作係唔應該有work life balance！(Derek Chung: Since founding HKTCG, I’ve realized that work shouldn't be about "work-life balance"!)

Synonym: 工作與生活平衡

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@khdcheung/post/DaLDfNyj872?xmt=AQG0d2CtkCfBLCF7_hL8i3UT_5pM4sQhmEna6BzrSZp21XK0l6N0Qcq3Yei7A41-B_gwqJk7&slof=1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to steamed rice noodle rolls, which is a popular snack at street food vendors. However, this is not to be confused with ‘fun cheung’, which means ‘dick face’ in English.

Usage: E.g. Let‘s eat some fun cheung at a Chinese restaurant! Sorry, I mean cheung fun!

Synonym: 腸粉

Reference: https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3318414/what-cheung-fun-different-types-chinese-rice-noodle-rolls-and-how-make-them

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by the K-pop singer Jackson Wang (王嘉爾) when he has nothing to say. Even though he was born in Hong Kong, it is often said that he has real American Born Chinese vibe, due to his strong knowledge of English filler terms while speaking in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 我從運動員到練習生到出道，去海外，我自己覺得我係捱到既。但係有時呢D咁既野真係hit到我，我真係...i don't know. (From being an athlete to a trainee to debut then overseas, I always thought I could endure. But when there were things that hit me sometimes, I really just... I don't know.)

Synonym: 我唔知

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7-73ZG8G2s