Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers often use to refer to having missed something, such as a bus or a deadline.

Usage: E.g. 哎呀，我miss左最後班車喇！\nE.g. 唔知miss左deadline會點呢？

Synonym: 錯過左

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use instead of the Cantonese equivalent '心情'.

Usage: E.g. 今日出面咁多人咁迫，真係冇咩mood行街。

Synonym: 心情

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

Definition: Often pronounced with a '屎' (faeces) at the end of the word, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the overall dimensions of something.

Usage: E.g. 請問呢件衫有咩size呀？。

Synonym: 大小

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

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the total amount of something, such as for goods and services.

Usage: E.g. 呢到total幾多錢呀?

Synonym: 總共

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

Definition: An Englishised code-mixing phrase used by westernised Hong Kongers to describe having an overly powerful ability to do something, such as winning a game.

Usage: E.g. I can't believe you are winning every game! Are you bending machine?!

Synonym: 屈機

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-cantonese-slang-internet

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: Short for 'job description', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kong HR departments like to use to refer to the piece of text that describes the job nature and responsibilities of a position in a company, which may be long or short depending on how much they want an applicant to know about the job.

Usage: E.g. 又話會send份JD比我睇？你send左去邊度？(I thought you were going to send me the JD to have a look? Where did you send it to?)

Synonym: 工作內容

Reference: https://english.cool/job-description/

Definition: Often used as '升le' (呢), this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to having made an advancement in something. (升級)

Usage: E.g. 哇！今次考試表現好左好多喎。簡直係升呢呀！

Synonym: 升級

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

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to ‘out of budget’, which is used by working class Hong Kongers in business meetings.

Usage: 做project management只睇兩樣。第一就係有冇outside個scope，第二就係有冇out bud。

Definition: A romanised code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to the red packets of cash given as gifts during Chinese New Year. Even though the first character of the phrase should be pronounced as 'lai' or 'lei' with a short vowel in Cantonese, it is often pronounced as 'laai' with a long vowel when in romanised form, leading to the expression sounding like 'laai see' (瀨屎), which means to poop in one's pants in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. Expat: Have you got any lai see during Chinese New Year? HK'er: Laai see? Sure! I have laaaai see today. Just kidding.

Synonym: 利是

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/2007/