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Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to address a middle-aged woman who wants to sound younger because '姨姨' in Cantonese somehow sounds old.
Usage: E.g. A: 點解香港咁多盲毛，好多人見到女性唔係着校服嘅就叫人阿姨！尤其啲阿叔阿婆次次鳩叫。好心盲毛唔識分就叫人姐姐/小姐/阿妺！叫後生啲點都好過叫老咗呀。B: Hi Auntie. (A: Why are there so many blind idiots in Hong Kong? Many people address women as 'ah yi' whenever someone who is not wearing school uniform! Especially the uncles and grannies! Could these blind idiots say sister, miss, or sis?! Addressing someone as younger is better than old. B: Hi Auntie.)
Synonym: 姨姨; 阿姨
Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2839861/page/1
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person who is a yellow-skinned Asian but speaks English very well. I.e. Yellow on the outside but white on the inside like a bamboo stick. (竹升)
Usage: E.g. Please don’t treat me like a bamboo stick! (竹升) I know how to speak Chinese!
Synonym: 竹升
Definition: A code-mixing term used by real ABCs in Hong Kong to refer to an Asian who speaks English. Ie. Yellow on the outside and white on the inside. （香蕉）
Usage: E.g. I am not a banana! I know how to speak Chinese!
Synonym: 香蕉
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: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers when someone sneezes, which is similar to 'Bless you!' in English. (大吉利是)
Usage: E.g. A: Ack-choo! B: Big tangerine and red packets!
Synonym: 大吉利是
Definition: Pronounced as 'bee-lee-bah-la', this is a code-mixing onomatopoepic phrase used by native Hong Kongers in a 90's limerick to describe someone talking a lot, loudly or fast.
Usage: E.g. XXX（人名）未夠18歲學人揸飛機，跌落屎坑執玻璃，返到屋企唔忿氣，BiLiBaLa放臭屁，阿媽以為漏煤氣，原來衰仔放緊屁。(E.g. XXX (name) learned to drive a plane under 18 years old, and fell into the toilet to pick up the glass. He returned home feeling resentful, then kept talking a lot and made a stinky fart. His mother thought there was a gas leak, but it turned out that the bad boy was farting.)
Synonym: 嗶哩叭啦
Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to refer to being very unlucky or unfortunate. (黑仔)
Usage: E.g. Today I forgot to bring my homework and give teacher scold. Very black son! (好黑仔)
Synonym: 黑仔
Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?3,139574,139575
Definition: Originated from a tradition where people would donate gifts to those in need, this is a code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers who do not want to be misunderstood as the day on which they would open presents, as the Cantonese equivalent terms denote the opening of presents on that day.
Usage: E.g. 聽日就係boxing day。你會去邊到shopping？(Tomorrow is boxing day. Where will you go shopping?)
Synonym: 節禮日, 拆禮物日
Reference: https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/拆禮物日
Definition: A code-mixing term that only upper class Hong Kongers know how to use to refer to a meal where people serve themselves the food because of the French origin of the word which makes it so hard to pronounce properly.
Usage: E.g. A: 放假不如食buffet呀？B: 你指蒲飛？(A: What about eating buffet during holiday? B: You mean po-fei?)
Synonym: 蒲飛
Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/生日飯-餐廳-推介-推薦-生日餐廳-235652146.html
Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a restaurant located inside a school or company. However, it is worth noting that the origin of the word is from Europe and should not to be confused with ‘can-ting’ or ‘can-teng’ in Mandarin or Cantonese (餐廳), which start with the ‘ts’ sound instead of ‘k’ sound in ‘can’.
Usage: E.g. 今日好多人呀！快啲落canteen霸位啦！(There are so many people today! Let's go to the canteen to hog the seats first!)
Synonym: 飯堂; 食堂 ; 餐廳
Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSKkZbOEqPJ/ (use mobile version)