Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to someone who was born or grew up in a particular country, which Hong Kongers find it a lot more convenient to use than the Cantonese equivalent words because it requires much less linguistic effort.

Usage: E.g. 你係唔係native speaker黎架？（講本國語既人） E.g. 你Ｄ英文係咪native架？（純正本土口音）

Reference: https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/city-university-of-hong-kong/world-englishes/lecture-3-city-university-of-hong-kongen5714-world-englishes-and-the-social-context-of/20063922

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers as a neutral and factual way of referring to interview feedback of disapproval.

Usage: E.g. 今次interview既feedback都冇D咩negative野。(The interview feedback this time did not have anything negative.)

Synonym: 負面

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1058101/page/1

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase used by local student Hong Kongers when they want to ask whether someone understands what they are talking about.

Usage: E.g. Nei g ng g ngo kong mut? (Do you know what I am saying?)

Synonym: 你知唔知我講乜?

Reference: https://www.socialcareer.org/blogs/do-you-really-know-cantonese

Definition: (textspeak) Known as Martian language, this is a code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong local students when they want to ask what another person is doing.

Usage: E.g. nei joe mud? (What are you doing?)

Synonym: 你做乜?

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrQohDNJ9Gp/?img_index=3 (use mobile version)

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing phrase that is often used among local students in Hong Kong girl schools when they cannot understand what the teacher says in a lesson.

Usage: E.g. *Teacher explains what to do for the lesson* Student A: Nei ming ng ming gong mud ye? Student B: Ng ming.

Synonym: 你明唔明講乜野?

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/124322/集體回憶-90後最有共鳴火星文-禾刀吾g-3-你有無份

Definition: 1. (noun) A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers love to use to refer to internet access. 2. (verb) A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to use to refer to social networking.

Usage: E.g. 今日公司network有D問題，成日search野都好慢，仲間唔中會斷。 E.g. 最近有冇出去同人network？

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to tell someone not to worry about something anymore, even though it may not sound polite to English speakers.

Usage: E.g. Never mind啦。我地下次再約。 E.g. Never mind啦。我自己搞得掂。

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by westernised Hong Kongers who really miss hearing the word Eve from Christmas Eve so much that they wished Christmas could prolong to the new year.

Usage: E.g. New Year’s Eve你會同朋友交換禮物嗎？B: 吓，唔係聖誕節先會交換禮物咩？！(Will you exchange gifts with friends on New Year's Eve? B: What? Don't people exchange gifts during Christmas instead?)

Synonym: 除夕

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/知性女生/60307715/除夕倒數2026-10大倒數好去處-迪士尼煙花-西九音樂會-倒數派對

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong expats when they want to order something in a restaurant but don't know how to read a menu.

Usage: E.g. Mm goi waiter! Ni gor please!

Synonym: 呢個, this

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

Definition: A way to express how nice someone is on the surface.

Usage: E.g. 佢個人好nice，但係識耐左先知道原來係虛偽。E.g. 佢個人好nice，不過唔知個人好唔好呢？

Synonym: 友善