Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

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: Short for 'available zero', this is a Kongish code-mixing term that is often used by Hong Kong teen celebrities to sell themselves as idols that have never dated or been in a relationship before.

Usage: E.g. 鍾柔美男女關係複雜 A0形象被質疑 絕密校園生活揭秘 (Yumi Chung's complicated love relationships raise questions about her A0 image; her top-secret campus life revealed.)

Synonym: Available zero, 未拍過拖

Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/鍾柔美yumi被爆扮a0-中學時至少有4名男友？-就連「學霸」之名都被質疑-080040455.html

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to ‘out of budget’, which is used by working class Hong Kongers in business meetings.

Usage: 做project management只睇兩樣。第一就係有冇outside個scope，第二就係有冇out bud。

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers love to use to refer to a programmer or developer especially if they are one themselves because it makes them sound like a profession.

Usage: E.g. A: 你做咩IT行業? 寫program嗰D? B: 唔係。我係engineer。(What kind of IT industry are you from? Are you a programmer? B: No, I am an engineer.)

Synonym: 工程師

Reference: https://tecky.io/zh_Hant/blog/Programmer-分多少種-2022-23/

Definition: A term used by native Hong Kongers to divert one topic to another in a polite manner.

Usage: E.g. 係呀，個proposal已經搞掂了。Anyway, 我兒家要去開meeting。 E.g. 份proposal仲未搞掂？Anyways, 我兒家要食lunch喇。

Synonym: 點都好; 無論如何

Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

Definition: Originated from 'thank you' with the ''f' often mistaken as an English mistake while it is known as TH-fronting, this is a code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to show their sincere gratitude towards someone.

Usage: E.g. 今餐等我請啦。Fank you. (Let me treat you this meal. Thank you.)

Synonym: Thank you, 多謝

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/linguistics/comments/12to083/curious_about_some_british_people_pronounce_th_as/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to examining something in detail.

Usage: E.g. 老闆：開會時記住同大家go through一下今個week既items。

Reference: https://www.story001.com/post-196.html

Definition: Originated from the word 'start', this is a code-mixing term used by the Hong Kong government to refer to the starting point of a running track.

Usage: E.g. 再有政府設施串錯英文。「起點」英文串法由正確的「Start」變為「Strat」。(There is an English word mispelled in a government facility again. The word "Start" became "Strat".)

Synonym: 起點, start

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWMLrukj_sZ/?igsh=d2NkZXFvN3AycjZt (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers when they are really considerate about offending someone before or after saying something, such as making a comment or remark. However, it can be entirely offensive sometimes even though the person says no offense.

Usage: E.g. 成日開口埋口都講No Offense嘅人，其實先係最Offense。(The person who always says no offense is very often the person who is the most offensive.)

Synonym: 有怪莫怪, 無意冒犯

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/100most/posts/毛牌觀察學-第五話成日開口埋口都講no-offense嘅人其實先係最offense要講offense嘢唔使咁就住嘅一係下次試吓改口講no-defense/1031481205006323/

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers like to use to refer to a duplicate of something, such as a document.

Usage: E.g. 份document整多幾份copy黎呀，唔該。

Synonym: 副本