Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to working overtime. Sometimes, it is used as '冬OT' (winter OT), which means 'don't OT'.

Usage: E.g. Ａ：死喇，咁多野做。唔知今晚要OT到幾時呢？Ｂ：冬ＯＴ！

Synonym: 加班

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

Definition: A code-mixing term that is often misused by Fake ABC's in Hong Kong to mean 'outfit'.

Usage: E.g. BB豬，我今日個ｏｕｔｌｏｏｋ係咪好靚呀？

Synonym: 外表

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/128449/你是否-偽abc-chill-中文意思係咩-10個港人常用錯英文字

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers like to use to describe something that is not yet done or paid.

Usage: E.g. 依家仲有咩case係outstanding?

Synonym: 未解決

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers like to use instead of '通過'.  Sometimes, it is pronounced as 'pass-si'.

Usage: E.g. 今次考試pa唔pass呀？ E.g. 我今次pass-si呀！仲好高分添！

Synonym: 通過

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 Kongish code-mixing term used by Hong Kongers to emphasize how crowded and jam-packed a place is.

Usage: E.g. 同事：今日搭車返工多唔多人呀？ 你：多呀，可以話係ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｍｏｕｎｔａｉｎ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｓｅａ呀。 E.g. 你：哇，人山人海呀！朋友：簡直係ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｍｏｕｎｔａｉｎ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｓｅａ啦！

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the Cantonese swear word '仆街', which literally translates to 'trip on the street'.

Usage: E.g. 聽日交唔到貨就PK喇！ E.g. 玩我？！ 你個PK！

Definition: Often seen as redundant, this is a code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers when they really want to show politeness towards the email's receiver in a request.

Usage: E.g. Please kindly find the attached document.

Synonym: 請

Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/35656/電郵技巧｜商用電郵｜職場英語-10個打工仔常犯的英文EMAIL錯誤-PLEASE-KINDLY-WELL-RECEIVED-WITH-THANKS-都係錯-內附正確寫法及網上課程

Definition: A more polite way to refer to a person's standpoint, as the Cantonese equivalent term '點', meaning a dot, can refer to a woman's breast.

Usage: E.g. 男人：喂，我真係好唔明你個point喎！女人：唔緊要。我慢慢解釋比你聽。 E.g. 男人：喂，我真係好唔明你個點喎！女人：你話我邊點呀？唔好性騷擾喎！

Reference: https://medium.com/@girlslearnenglish/你說話會中英夾雜嗎-被-污名化-的中英夾雜-why-code-mixing-is-totally-fine-32eb1f280ca

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to getting out of the singles' pool so that you are finally dating someone!

Usage: E.g. 我平時咁宅，估唔到有一日會出pool。

Definition: A more informal and linguistically efficient way of saying the Cantonese equivalent term '上傳'. Often pronounced as 'po' instead of 'post'.

Usage: E.g. 喂，你今次po張相好鬼靚喎。