Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that is used in place of '交'.

Usage: E.g. 同學：份功課幾時due呀？你：好似聽日due得喇喎。

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe any unfortunate event such as an accident.

Usage: E.g. If I have any winter melon tofu, I will sue your company!!!

Synonym: 冬瓜豆腐

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/39119/

Definition: Often expressed as ‘老best’ meaning 'old best', this is a code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers to refer to a best friend that a person has known for a long time. (呢個好大部分時候係攞嚟應用自己啲friend呀樣表達自己個friend係好老友囉咁樣)

Usage: E.g. 你哋睇下呢個係我老best。(Let me show all of you. This is my old best friend.)

Synonym: 睇下呢個係我個好朋友, 老友, old best friend

Reference: https://mingpaomonthly.com/article/details/語文．書話/2025-02/1737624129007/老best、bestie有咩分別？%20（歐陽偉豪）

Definition: A code-mixing term used by a Jayden Mami as a more precise and technical way of referring to an ordered waiting line. Also, it is often complemented with the English word 'long' to exaggerate the lengthiness of a queue when scolding a child.

Usage: E.g. 講咗呢啲holiday就係咁多人queue，條queue就係咁long嘅，冇可能你自己乜嘢都玩晒㗎嘛，係咪呀Jayden？(I have already said these holidays should have so many people queuing up. The queue is just that long, do you know you cannot play everything yourself, right Jayden?)

Synonym: 隊；龍

Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/4112744/Jayden之亂｜KOL拍片諷刺「Jayden媽」偽ABC育兒法%E3%80%80揭爆紅現象時間線-港媽式教仔金句

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: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to send somebody away formally and politely, even though at times they may not be taking the other person seriously.

Usage: E.g. *打斷* 我地傾左咁耐，不如就喺到dismiss啦? (*interrupt* We have been talking for so long. What about dismiss here?)

Synonym: 解散

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2842244/page/13

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong restaurants love to use especially during public holiday to refer to the additional fee added to a bill because it sounds more classy than '服務費' and less explicit than '加一' or '加二' in Cantonese, which mean +10% and +20% respectively.

Usage: E.g. A: 吓？食個下午茶都要加二？ B: 今日係新年假期，所以有service charge。(A: What? There's +20% service charge even for an afternoon tea? B: Today is Chinese New Year holiday so there is service charge.) E.g. 到底邊個發明加一服務費？(Who on earth invented +10% service charge?)

Synonym: 加一, 加二, 服務費

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2268003/page/4

Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is advanced in technology.  There is a famous quote that goes "High Tech揩野，Low Tech撈野", which describes the volatility of high-tech products as opposed to low-tech products that have a larger market despite high competition.

Usage: E.g. 哇，張枱有自動升降好high tech呀。

Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf

Definition: A code-mixing term that real ABC's like to use to show their friendliness or generosity.

Usage: E.g. No worries。今餐我比住先啦。 E.g. No worries。我幫你搞掂左喇。

Synonym: 唔洗擔心

Definition: Pronounced as 'dee', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers to refer to using the 'delete' button on a keyboard to get rid of something when using the computer.

Usage: E.g. Del左呢個paragraph，再加返個conclusion，然後再send比我啦。

Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf