Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a man who relies on his wife or girlfriend to sustain a living.

Usage: E.g. Be a real man and stop eating soft rice!

Synonym: 食軟飯

Definition: An ultra polite code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who really know how to sincerely say sorry or apologise to someone.

Usage: E.g. Do姐：全部都錯。嗱，唔係sorly，係sorry，捲脷架。(Carol Cheng: All wrong. It's not sorly, it's sorry, you have to roll your tongue.)

Synonym: Sor, 對唔住

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPgONqRk7Qc/?igsh=NWZ3ODYzdjBydmdj (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing term that local student Hong Kongers use to refer to 'music society'.

Usage: E.g. 唔知mu so今個sem有咩搞呢？

Synonym: 音樂學會

Definition: A romanised Cantonese phrase that westernised Hong Kongers use when they want to ask where a washroom is.

Usage: E.g. Chee sor hai bin? (廁所喺邊?)

Synonym: 廁所喺邊?

Reference: https://homekong.com.hk/blogs/read/helpful-cantonese-phrases-to-know

Definition: A shortened form of 'sorry' that is often used by Hong Kongers.

Usage: E.g. Sor，唔小心踩到你。 E.g. *碰到人* Sor，sor，sor。

Synonym: Sorry, 對唔住

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to refer to the kind of lawyer occupation that mostly deals with documents but actually goes to court proceedings at times.

Usage: E.g. A: 你係咪做solicitor? 咁咪唔洗上court? B: 都要上court架，少啲咋麻。(A: Are you a solictor? Does that mean you don't need to go to court? B: I need to go to court, but relatively less.)

Synonym: 事務律師

Reference: https://cph-legal.com/2022/03/how-to-ace-a-job-interview-at-a-law-firm/

Definition: A more effortless way of apologising to someone without sounding so formal and serious. Sometimes, it is pronounced as 'sor-li'.

Usage: E.g. Sorry呀，踩親你。 E.g. Sorry呀，我遲到左。 E.g.你：對唔住！係我抵死，係我唔岩！朋友：唔洗咁隆重。你:SORRY囉。

Synonym: 對唔住

Reference: https://www.academia.edu/8666953/Common_usage_of_code-mixing_among_trilingual_Hong_Kongers

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the time period up to now without sounding so formal and elegant in social situations.

Usage: E.g. So far我覺得呢間餐廳幾好食, 但係service有D差囉。(So far I think the food in this restaurant is quite good, but the service is a little bad.)

Synonym: 目前為止, 至今

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3926896/page/1

Definition: A euphemistic way of saying to somebody that you want to teach them a lesson or show them what you've got. (比D顏色你睇)

Usage: E.g. 咁寸?! Let me give you some color see see!

Synonym: 比D顏色你睇

Definition: An overused code-mixing term by real ABC's in Hong Kong when they want to give praise or compliment to something, just like the word '正' in Cantonese but stronger.

Usage: E.g. 哇，今次個concert真係awesome！ E.g. Woah! Awesome!

Synonym: 正