Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers who believe that making wishes should be done with eyes closed and not involve any '望', which has a literal meaning of gaze or look.

Usage: E.g. 新一年你有咩wish呀？快啲make a wish啦！(What is your wish for the new year? Make a wish quickly!)

Synonym: 願望

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3584700/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to express a choice in something without stating their favour or to avoid sounding picky.

Usage: E.g. 我今晚既preference係食西餐，但係又唔代表我成日都鍾意。(My preference is western cuisine tonight, but that doesn't mean I like it all the time.)

Synonym: 偏愛; 偏好; 優先選擇

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3316788/page/27

Definition: Originated from the song "Doot Doot (6 7)" by Skrilla, this is a code-mixing term used by Gen Z westernised Hong Kongers when they want to say 'I don't know' or refer to something 'so-so' as a rating. Sometimes, it may have no meaning at all, even when the person is juggling both hands up and down excitedly. Coincidently, six seven looks similar to the Cantonese expression '碌柒', which has the literal meaning of 'a stick of dick' and refers to an idiot.

Usage: E.g. A: How was the movie? B: Six seven. *Hands juggling up and down* (So-so.) E.g. A: What is the answer to this question? B: Six seven! (I don't f***ing know.)

Synonym: 唔撚知, 係喇掛

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQbVj-KkvEX/?hl=en (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers in place of the expletive f-word in English when one is angry and wants to curse. However, the usage of this term may actually only refer to scolding someone and nothing to do with cursing or having sexual intercourse at all. Sometimes, ‘ed’ or ‘ing’ is added to the verb to indicate tense in case the listener finds it ungrammatical.

Usage: E.g. Diu! I lost the game again! E.g. My teacher diu'ed me for talking in class today. E.g. Stop diuing me! It wasn’t my fault. Are you crazy?!

Synonym: 屌

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DU5Y2vjEzbU/?img_index=2&igsh=MWlxaDBhbHJlYTR6aA== (use mobile version)

Definition: A slightly more polite sounding code-mixing term that real ABC's in Hong Kong like to use instead the Cantonese equivalent '大佬', meaning 'big brother', even though the literal meaning is usually not taken when used, just like the word 'dude'.

Usage: E.g. Dude，你係到搞D咩呀？ E.g. Dude，你好還錢喇喎？ E.g. Dude，你以為你自己好型呀？

Synonym: 大佬

Definition: An Englishised Cantonese phrase that real ABC Hong Kongers use to refer to going to a traditional Chinese restaurant for dim sum. (飲茶)

Usage: E.g. Let's go to yum cha this weekend!

Synonym: 飲茶

Definition: A code-mixing filler term used by westernised Hong Kongers when they don't really find the other person's topic is all that interesting in a conversation.

Usage: E.g. A: 我平時鍾意寫app，去語言交流免費教人廣東話。B: 哦，interesting, interesting... (A: I like writing apps and going to language exchange to volunteer teaching people Cantonese regularly. B: Oh, interesting, interesting...) E.g. 我見外國人成日都用interesting 黎答人，仲要面無表情，會唔會係根本interesting 係外國一直都只係解： 哦⋯⋯. (I often see foreigners use 'interesting' as a response in a conversation, but without facial expression. Could it be that 'interesting' merely means like 'oh....' from a foreigner's perspective?)

Synonym: 很有趣, 哦

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1047783/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to hitting a ball towards the ground forcefully in tennis, which not only feels good when defeating someone with such a gesture, but also it sort of gives the person a feeling of breaking something into pieces.

Usage: E.g. 咁勁？！今次我要smash返你！(So powerful?! I'm going to smash you back!)

Synonym: 殺球

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3898753/page/7

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: A code-mixing term that real ABC's like to use to show how easygoing they can be.

Usage: E.g. Hey bro！不如一齊食飯啦？ E.g. Hey bro！放工一齊打波呀？

Synonym: 兄弟