Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to not being strict enough when managing people. Also, it often tends to depict a weakness in character by describing a person is not forceful or harsh enough.

Usage: E.g. 同事話我太soft管唔到學生，我聽完好灰。(My colleague said I am too soft and cannot manage students like this. I felt very grey afterwards.)

Synonym: 不嚴厲

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DU-fcZMgjI7/ (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a more general look or vibe of something rather than the artistic or literary manner of something, or the character of a person.

Usage: E.g. 呢家啲00後衣著style好似完美屌打90後. (Nowadays the Gen Z's dressing style seem to be winning over the 90's by far.)

Synonym: 風格

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3739511/page/4

Definition: (vulgar) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to call someone a bastard or son of a bitch. Also has the meaning of gigolo, which originated from Fuzhou in China. (契弟)

Usage: E.g. You are dead meat, sworn brother! (契弟) E.g. Oh gosh we are doomed. This time we are gonna be sworn brothers. (做契弟） E.g. So you’ve been treating me like a sworn brother all along? （當我契弟） E.g. Sworn brother walks slowly. （契弟走得摩）

Synonym: 契弟

Reference: https://baike.baidu.hk/item/%E5%A5%91%E5%BC%9F/7349815

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Konger girls to refer to having the strength or resilience to handle something emotionally, as in "I can take it", which they can sometimes do to a certain extent.

Usage: E.g. 出到嚟網上有咁多言論一路話我，我就覺得算啦，我係做呢行，我take(接受)咗佢啦，唔緊要啦。但take下take下，都take咗年幾兩年 (When I started working in this industry, there were so many discussions on the Internet talking about me, I thought it was okay because I knew I was in this industry, so I took it, it doesn't matter. But as I kept taking this and taking that, I realised that I had already been taking things in for a few years)

Synonym: 承受; 承受壓力

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/即時娛樂/60359289/jw王灝兒分手後啞忍兩年-眼濕濕平反拜金論-我仲使乜入tvb拍劇?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=01appshare

Definition: Made popular by an anti-drug advertisement featuring Hong Kong celebrity Aaron Kwok, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use with the Cantonese word '嘢', which means 'take drugs' altogether, even though 'take嘢' literally means 'take thing'.

Usage: E.g. 保安局禁毒宣傳品出現「公關災難」，令「一齊企硬 唔take嘢」標語，在柱面上呈現「齊企硬 Take嘢」。There was a "PR disaster" in the Security Bureau's anti-drug promotional materials, which caused the slogan "Stand firm together, don't take any drugs" to be presented as ""Stand firm together and Take Drugs".

Synonym: take嘢, take drugs

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWGb-PriJLK/?igsh=b3Vwa2xmNHFuZ2Qz (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong celebrity tutors to refer to a collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal.

Usage: E.g. 狀元培育向來都是team work. （Nurturing top scorers has always been team work.)

Synonym: 團體合作

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRGmhTQjT1N/?igsh=NWtoNHZ6OGRyOW8x (use mobile version)

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term that refers to 'together' in English.

Usage: E.g. Nei zi chin mai wah seung do new pt, my frd arm arm told me kui find gun ppl, go tgt oj ng oj? (你之前咪話想做新Part Time，我朋友同我講佢搵緊人，一齊去好唔好？)

Synonym: together

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/283411/大學生打字用火星文-10句港式英文拼音大挑戰-測試你識幾多

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to a popular dish known as two dish rice, which originates from pointing one's finger to dishes when choosing dishes to eat at a two dish rice restaurant.

Usage: E.g. Excuse me, I want this, this, this...

Synonym: 兩餸飯, two dish rice

Reference: https://hk.ulifestyle.com.hk/topic/detail/20091475/dse-英文口試驚現-兩餸飯-考起學生-考評局正解非this-this-rice/3

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who does not know anyone. Originated from a game similar to Rummikub where pulling cards should add up to nine, but not over. Otherwise, the player will lose the game.

Usage: E.g. I have never been to this event before! Everyone was like 'three does not know seven'!

Synonym: 三唔識七

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms

Definition: Often said with a rising intonation on the second syllable, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Konger badminton coaches like to use to refer to the exact point in time of something because the Cantonese equivalent ‘時機’ somehow sounds less accurate.

Usage: E.g. 描準個ball，睇好個timing打落去，咁先得架嘛。(Aim at the ball, watch for the right timing and hit it. You got it?)

Synonym: 時機