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Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers when they want to show how pleased they are towards someone’s achievements, but want to sound less show-off or exaggerated about their feeling.
Usage: E.g. 你考試咁高分，我好proud of你呀。(You scored so high in the exam. I am so proud of you.)
Synonym: 驕傲，自豪
Reference: https://www.threads.com/@grace_interest_english/post/DDthgzMyHsU
Definition: (verb) Originated from 'pick-up artist', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to being emotionally manipulated by controlling behaviour of a person who is good at pick-up and chasing the opposite sex.
Usage: E.g. 作為女性 聽到Juliana咁講 都覺得幾心酸 究竟之前一齊過幾年嘅ex 係點對待佢 令到佢覺得自己咁卑微 仲要傻到幫對方諗藉口 怪自己有問題 講真唔理係咪節目效果 聽落似係被PUA過 (As a female hearing what Juliana had to say, I feel quite sad to know that she had an ex-boyfriend who treated her like this while spending several years together. He just made her feel like low status and stupid enough to help the other person think of excuses and to blame herself for the problems. Honestly, I don't care if it is the effect of the TV show, but it sounds like she was PUA'ed before.)
Synonym: 被精神操控
Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BA2LSDyu6S/
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe strenuous tasks that are almost impossible to complete.
Usage: E.g. Getting my son to do homework is like pulling a cow up the tree!
Synonym: 拉牛上樹
Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms
Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to being annoying and persistent in asking people what you want from them, which they may find unpleasant sometimes.
Usage: E.g. 要做成一件事, 我經常會話, 係要夠煩, 要有少少pushy, 要真係問人攞。你既企圖心要夠擔, 夠明顯。無論係愛情, 定係講緊事業, 定係講緊銷售, 定係講緊生意, 有時候要夠煩。(In order to succeed in doing something, I always say that one must be annoying, a little pushy, and be really willing to ask people what you want. You must have a strong and clear ambition. No matter it is love, career, being a salesman or doing business, you have got to be annoying sometimes.)
Synonym: 糾纏不休
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: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the numerical maximum and minimum of something such as salary, rather than something like an area or three dimensional.
Usage: E.g. expected salary寫左一個range(20-23k) 依個range hr話ok 但冇同我講offer最後會出幾錢 (I wrote 20 to 30k for expected salary and the human resources department said it was okay, but they did not tell me how much the offer would be at the end.)
Synonym: 薪酬範圍
Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BBJcLB6BK2/
Definition: Derived from the Chinese term '內卷' and often translated as 'involution', this is an Englishised code-mixing term that describes an economic situation where excessive competition does not lead to development and innovation. This may lead to people feeling stressed, anxious, and trapped, as the two characters mean 'inside rolling'.
Usage: E.g. I'm stuck in the rat race! I'm so tired of competing with everyone just to climb the career ladder!
Synonym: 內卷
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjTg1G8rpVc
Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the process of finding an employee's former colleagues or managers to verify their job history, which can sometimes be very tedious.
Usage: E.g. 我就唔驚reference check去check我過去表現，但要我搵人做reference check 就好煩，尤其係個HR係咁催我交人 (I am not afraid of reference checks that check my past job performance, but asking me to find someone to do the reference check is very annoying, especially if the HR is urging me to hand over the person.)
Synonym: 資歷查核
Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3576674/page/1
Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers who believe that rejecting people is more comfortable than being a “peaceful good person” because being the latter often leads to more work with the same salary.
Usage: E.g. 識得 reject 嘅人，過得舒服過「隨和好人」好多 以前總係唔敢拒絕人，明明唔係自己範疇都照攬上身。最後發現：越好說話嘅人，工作量只會越來越多，人工就永遠原地踏步。學會定邊界，工作生活先有得救。(People who know how to reject, live much more comfortably than "easy-going good people". I used to always dare not reject people, despite the work not related to my job position. Then I finally realised: The better at talking a person is, the more the workload will become, and the salary will always be the same. So learn to set boundaries, so that work and life will be saved.)
Synonym: 拒絕
Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BAAf75hFnJ/
Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to loosening up, taking a rest or relieving stress.
Usage: E.g. 平時做野咁大壓力，得閒就梗係要去relax吓啦！(We have so much stress from work every day. We should go and relax when we are free!)
Synonym: 放鬆; 休息一下; 減壓
