Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the ability to understand and recognise something with our five senses, which include sight, hear, smell, taste and feel.

Usage: E.g. 男人好容易sense到女人鍾意咗自己嘅咩？(Can a man very easily sense that a woman likes him?)

Synonym: 感覺

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3392065/page/3

Definition: Often transliterated and pronounced as the loan phrase '肥佬' meaning 'fat guy', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe getting an unsuccessful result when doing something. Sometimes, it can be shortened to '肥' (fat) as a verb.

Usage: E.g. 哎呀！今次考試肥左佬！ E.g. 唔係掛？考咁多次都肥？！

Synonym: 肥佬

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/16296/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kong local students to refer to the quality of being rough or even unkind, in addition to being strict in following rules or standards.

Usage: E.g. 個professor好charm啊，但係有少少harsh... (The professor is very charming, but is a little harsh.)

Synonym: 嚴格; 嚴厲

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/86453/page/4

Definition: A code-mixing term used by Hong Kongers to emphasize the reality of a situation, as even lovers have a working relationship sometimes. In other cases such as a workplace, it is simply to match the working atmosphere.

Usage: E.g. 你：我地之間唔係好work呀，你明唔明呀？男／女朋友：明白。（你：我地之間唔係好得呀，你明唔明呀？男／女朋友：你講緊邊方面唔得呀？！） E.g. 你：個program唔work呀。老細:哦。（你：個program唔得呀。老細:又唔得！）

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that overseas educated Hong Kongers use to emphasize that something is not a complex problem.

Usage: E.g. 呢個問題唔係rocket science。再一齊諗諗佢就解決得到。

Reference: https://www.mi-learning.com/itsnotrocketscience-meaning/

Definition: A code-mixing term that can also be used to refer to a non-human object.

Usage: E.g. 咁快開波？等我warm up吓先。 E.g. 同事A：喂，部機咁慢既？ 同事B：部機要warm up吓先得架。

Definition: Often associated with negative connotations, this is a code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to show their ability to form valuable opinions after thorough thought, like a lawyer in a court case.

Usage: E.g. 第一次認識人唔好咁快pass judgment啦！(Don't pass judgment so quickly upon knowing a person for the first time!) E.g. 我希望你會接受我既judgment。(I hope you will accept my judgment.)

Synonym: 判斷

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1787326/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used to refer to holding something physically (揸), but with the meaning of waiting for the return of something as well.

Usage: E.g. Hold住個電話先。 E.g. 個project兒家hold住左，因為要同個客傾返好先。

Synonym: 揸

Reference: https://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/item/cuhk-321644

Definition: A more broad and general code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to having concern, kindness and empathy towards others but not to the point of being so loving.

Usage: E.g. 之前都識左個男仔, 一開始都好nice 好caring, 突然有一日係車鬧左我成個鐘。(I used to know a guy who was very nice and caring at the start, but there came a day where he suddenly scolded me for an hour in the car.)

Synonym: 關心別人；有愛心

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3665573/page/28

Definition: A generic term for a number of different Chinese words of equivalent meaning, sometimes used to tone down your directness and also to maximise communicative efficiency.

Usage: E.g. 老師: 老師唔expect你１００分，不過盡左力就得喇。（要求） E.g. 朋友: 今日係我生日。我expect你都比下面掛。（預料） E.g. 我冇expect過今次考試會考成咁。（預期） E.g. 上司對你冇咩expectation，總之搞掂Ｄ野就得喇。（期望）

Synonym: 要求; 預料; 預期; 期望