Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A shortened code-mixing term that refers to 'certificate'.

Usage: E.g. 我終於考到張cert喇！

Definition: Derived from 'tea restaurant', this is a romanised code-mixing term used by Hong Kong expats to refer to a popular type of restaurant that serves a wide variety of foods, which is said to be the essence of Hong Kong's culture. (Also char chaan teng, cha chaan tang.)

Usage: E.g. “Make no mistake, ‘cha chaan tangs’—literally translated as tea restaurants—are not where you go ‘yum cha’ and eat ‘dim sum’.”

Synonym: 茶餐廳

Reference: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316181429_A_dictionary_of_Hong_Kong_English_words_from_the_fragrant_harbor

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term used to describe how poor (慘) someone is.

Usage: E.g. I cried coz I am very chaam. E.g. 今次考試肥左真係好chaam。 E.g. 做到扒左喺到咁真係ｃｈａａｍｃｈａａｍ豬。

Synonym: 慘

Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/3056055/【港式英文】嫌米綫店「updup」及食客「wuddud」%20%20%20%20港女IG發文形容好「Chaam」

Definition: An alternative way of referring to someone who's getting on your nerves, as the equivalent term '挑戰' in Cantonese sounds too much like a real duel or battle and hence too provocative to use.

Usage: E.g. 老闆：夠喇。你唔好係到挑戰我。你:我幾時有挑戰過你呀？！ E.g. 老闆：夠喇。你唔好係到challenge我。你:*silence*

Synonym: 挑戰

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who have more than a regular habit of drinking champagnes.

Usage: E.g. 今日係禮拜五晚，我地黎支ｃｈａｍｐａｇｎｅ嗱？！

Synonym: 香檳

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to use to refer to the language channel that one is speaking in.

Usage: E.g. 做咩成日轉channel講英文呀？你喺到扮ABC呀？ E.g. 咪住。等我轉一轉channel講返中文先。

Definition: A noun-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe how charming or attractive a person is.

Usage: E.g. 喂，你覺得佢好ｃｈａｒｍ嗎？ E.g. 你今日著得好cｈａｒｍ喎。

Synonym: 有魅力

Definition: (adj.) A euphemistic way of saying 'cheap' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 喂，你唔洗咁cheap嘛？ E.g. 你正cheap精黎架！ E.g. Cheap到咁樣，我真係第一次見。

Synonym: 低俗

Definition: A word that seems to have originated from a Chinese emperor, due to it being mistakenly aired from a TVB episode.

Usage: 同朕check吓！(By TVB actor 陳豪)

Synonym: 查

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: (verb) A more suitable term for the Cantonese equivalent word '檢查', which sounds too formal and serious, like doing a body check.

Usage: E.g. 同我check吓份文件好嗎？

Synonym: 檢查

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