Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong students use to refer to '儲物櫃'.

Usage: E.g. 哎呀。我唔記得左我D野放左喺locker到。

Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

Definition: Derived from the internet slang 'laugh out loud'. this is a cliche code-mixing term that has grown out of the textspeak medium into human speech. As opposed to 'lol' being such an overused term on the internet where the meaning is often not that literal, the term is used by westernised Hong Kongers to really mean laugh out loud.

Usage: E.g. 睇完套戲真係lol左。(I really laughed out loud after watching the movie!)

Synonym: 大聲笑, 撈

Definition: Known as Kongish and derived from '長氣', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a friend who is always so verbose and says the same thing over and over again, like a grandma.

Usage: E.g. 喂，我頂你！唔好咁long gas得唔得呀？！(長氣)

Synonym: 長氣

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/2630/

Definition: Derived from literal translation, this is an Englishised code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to a giraffe in a cute way.

Usage: E.g. A giraffe is actually a "long neck deer" in Cantonese.

Synonym: 長頸鹿

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUVzFQYEZ_R/?igsh=NjM5bzc1YXp5MWFi (use mobile version)

Definition: Pronounced as 'long tie lo see', this is a code-mixing term used by grassroots class Hong Kongers for greeting someone they have not seen for a long time.

Usage: E.g. 喂！Ｌｏｎｇ　ｔｉｅ　ｌｏ　ｓｅｅ！

Reference: https://www.esquirehk.com/mens-talk/simon-shen-hong-kong-english-chinese

Definition: Originated from business emails and often said without a ‘to’ at the end, this is a code-mixing phrase that working class Hong Kongers would use in non-business settings when they really anticipate the happening of an event.

Usage: E.g. 我好look forward今餐會食咩。(I really look forward to what I will be eating for this meal.) E.g. 我好look forward今次既足球比賽。(I really look forward to this football match.)

Synonym: 期待

Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/42024/lookforwardto點用-後面動詞需要加ing-與lookingforwardto有甚差別-用法-例句

Definition: Often pronounced as 'launch', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to a club lounge in a hotel.

Usage: E.g. 唔該，請問個lounge喺邊？我想搵個位坐吓先。

Synonym: 休息聽

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mz8kUbNcMw

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that Hong Kongers use to refer to having low intelligence or being stupid. Also used as '低B' sometimes.

Usage: E.g. 唔好咁low b係到周圍大叫啦！ E.g. 低B仔，你係咪仲未get要做咩呀？

Synonym: 低B

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

Definition: A code-mixing term used by grassroots Hong Kongers to refer to “no pay leave” or non-paid leave.

Usage: E.g. 請唔到病假咪請low pay leave囉! （no pay leave)

Synonym: 無薪假期

Definition: (adj) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe something that is very unadvanced in technology.  There is a famous quote that goes "High Tech揩野，Low Tech撈野", which describes the volatility of high-tech products as opposed to low-tech products that have a larger market despite high competition. '撈' refers to '有得撈', which means you can earn a living.

Usage: E.g. 今時今日唔可以再咁low tech架喇。快D買返部智能手機啦。

Reference: https://www.lib.eduhk.hk/pure-data/pub/201902353/201902353_1.pdf