Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that real ABC's like to use to show that they are always glad to do a favour for someone.

Usage: E.g. Sure！No problem！拜托喺我身上啦。 E.g. Sure！我同你去Starbucks買杯咖啡啦。 E.g. Sure！我幫你比住錢先啦。

Definition: A shortened code-mixing term meaning 'compromise'.

Usage: E.g. 香港人：我地雙方要com吓先得，OK？內地人：說什麼？香港人：ＣＯＭＰＲＯＭＩＳＥ。 E.g. 你：我知道我地好多野都唔係好夾，不過我地com吓咪得囉。朋友：我cｏｍ你老Ｘ！

Synonym: 妥協

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers often use when they want to tell someone politely that they are not the sort of person they want to be with or attracted to.

Usage: E.g. 唔好意思，你唔係我個type。(Sorry, but you are not the type of person I want to be with.)

Synonym: 種類

Reference: https://www.dcard.tw/f/hkmacdaily/p/239885576/b/4-1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students when they want to pause and think how to answer a question, even though it doesn't necessarily imply their ignorance.

Usage: E.g. 唔識答就話that’s a very good question, 然後帶佢遊花園 (If you don't know how to answer, just say that's a very good question. Then beat around the bush.)

Synonym: 問得好

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2767347/page/3

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone being a scapegoat or taking the blame for something that they did not do.

Usage: E.g. I did not cheat in the exam and you made me eat dead cat??!

Synonym: 食死貓

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-popular-cantonese-idioms

Definition: Often added with a '屎' (faeces), this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a salesperson.

Usage: E.g. A: 點解好多人唔識分sale 同sell 呢2個字 B: 我諗係因為sales sale屎sell屎sale野sell野. (A: Why do so many people cannot differentiate between sale and sell? B: I think it is because sales sell sh*t and sale thing sell thing.)

Synonym: sale屎

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3146390/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong teachers to make it clear and explicit that their students are essentially dead if they hand in their homework or assignment late, as the Cantonese equivalent phrase ‘截止日期’ does not denote the meaning of death at all.

Usage: E.g. 聽日就係deadline, 唔交功課就零雞蛋！(Tomorrow is deadline. If you do not hand in your homework, you will get a zero mark!)

Synonym: 截止日期

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/809281/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the type of work done for companies independently with much flexibility and freedom, which resembles the origin of the word that referred to a medieval mercenary who would fight for whoever paid them the most.

Usage: E.g. 接邊間公司既freelance做先最賺錢呀？緊係呢間啦！(Which company should I earn me the most doing a freelance job for? Definitely this company!)

Synonym: 自由工作

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@duoproduction/post/C_pdWgzS9qd

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone who is crazy, or a situation that is outrageous or unbelievable. (痴線 - ci1 sin3) Literal meaning: To have your electrical wires touching. Ie. Short circuit in the brain.

Usage: E.g. Chi sin! You used all your money to gamble?! E.g. Chi sin! The restaurant gave me the wrong bill! E.g. Chi sin! You won the lottery?!!

Synonym: 痴線

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/8-colloquialisms-unique-to-cantonese

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers in IT sectors like to use to refer to a pointer to a snapshot of changes in a code repository.

Usage: E.g. 你兒家喺main branch, 咁你要checkout返個develop branch先可以開始做野。

Synonym: 分支，開發線

Reference: https://git-scm.com/book/zh/v2/Git-分支-分支简介