Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A word used by Hong Kong people to express absolute affirmation, which is comparable to 'Bingo!'

Usage: E.g. 係喇，係喇。Exactly! E.g. 岩喇！呢個就係我exactly想講既野。 E.g. 我唔係太get你exactly想講咩。

Definition: Often complemented with '鳩吹' meaning talking nonsense or bullsh*t, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the type of language exchange where people are simply talking and chatting but not quite making much effort in learning language at all.

Usage: E.g. 去唔去language exchange呀？Ｂ：你係指鳩吹exchange？(A: Want to go to language exchange? B: You mean nonsense / bullsh*t exchange?)

Synonym: 交流

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/1240271/page/2

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

Definition: Often complemented with '野' meaning 'thing', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to some freebie or reward that comes with buying something or writing a review for a purchase. At times, it can also refer to any additional work that is out of the scope of an employee's role that they don't frigging want to do.

Usage: E.g. 開po出文幫手宣傳，真係會有extra野送 (If you post an article to help advertise a product, there will really be extra things rewarded.) E.g. 外賣仔的工作係餐廳出貨後送貨去你屋企無責任做extra野 (The job of a delivery person is to deliver food to your home after the restaurant prepares it, and they have no responsibility to do anything extra.)

Synonym: 額外

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3951705/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to withdrawing from a relationship gradually. However, it can also be comparable to 'ghosting' if the withdrawal is sudden enough.

Usage: E.g. 可以點樣fade out想追我既人 (How can I fade out from someone who is chasing me?)

Synonym: 淡出

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2975441/page/1

Definition: Often added with a ‘咗’ like the ‘-ed’ form in English for past tense, this is a code-mixing term that is used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to having completed something, such as an event or project.

Usage: E.g. 你地finish咗個project未呀？ E.g. 終於finish咗個event！

Synonym: 完成

Reference: https://www.businesstimes.com.hk/articles/157451/創新科技獎學金2024-挑選25位傑出大學生-每人最高15萬港元獎學金/

Definition: A shortened term of the word 'confirm' in English, used to maximise communicative efficiency and to get the listener to confirm ASAP.

Usage: E.g. 下個月個party既日期firm左未呀？ E.g. 你下次個appointment firm左未呀？ E.g. Firm左未呀？快Ｄ啦。

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that is used instead of the Cantonese equivalent '文件夾' to refer to a physical folder or a virtual folder on a computer.

Usage: E.g. 喺你個desktop上面開個folder，然後將你既file放入去。 E.g. 老師：唔該把所有功課放喺你個文件夾入面。同學：吓？文件夾？老師，你係邊到黎架？

Synonym: 文件夾

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that refers to being eliminated in a competition, or being disqualified due to breaking the rules in a sports game.

Usage: E.g. 小心比球證吹罰呀。再犯多次規就foul你出局。 E.g. 我第一round interview就比人foul左喇。真係慘慘豬。

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

Definition: (textspeak) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a trap or something of an inferior quality, which is comparable to the word 'dodgy' in English.

Usage: E.g. This job is not what I thought! So fuk!

Synonym: 伏

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-slang-you-need-to-know-right-now?utm_campaign=likeshopme&utm_medium=instagram&utm_source=dash+hudson&utm_content=www.instagra (use mobile version)