Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local and overseas educated Hong Kongers when they want to testify a person's knowledge or believe that the other person can be more eloquent in expressing their ideas.

Usage: E.g. 唔好意思。我唔明你講咩喎。你可以elaborate一吓嗎？(I’m sorry. But I don’t understand what you are talking about. Can you elaborate?)

Synonym: 詳細說明

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish codemixing term that refers to a person who has never been in a relationship before. I.e. Available = 0.

Usage: E.g. Nei dou year 4 lah, ng hai lum ju a0 grad har wah. （你都Year 4啦，唔係諗住A0 grad吓話。）

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/article/283411?utm_source=01appshare&utm_medium=referral

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to tell someone not to worry about something anymore, even though it may not sound polite to English speakers.

Usage: E.g. Never mind啦。我地下次再約。 E.g. Never mind啦。我自己搞得掂。

Definition: Sometimes shortened and pronounced as ‘probay’, this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the period of time at the start of a new job when one is being evaluated and tested to see whether they are suitable for the job.

Usage: E.g. 過唔到probation通常唔關工作能力事。多數關得罪人事。(Not passing probation usually does not have to do with one's working ability, but rather to with people issues.)

Synonym: 試用期, 緩刑

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3946396/page/2

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a job application form where loads of information need to be filled in, especially for large companies.

Usage: E.g. 點解D大公司填FORM要咁詳細。又身份證住址生日，有冇得唔填咁詳細? (Why do large companies need you to fill in forms with such detail? For example, ID, address, and birthday. Can we not fill in with such detail?)

Synonym: 表格

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2545196/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers like to use instead of '圖案'.

Usage: E.g. 件衫個pattern幾靚喎。喺邊到買架？ E.g. 同學：喂，你覺得每次Ｄ ＭＣ題目會有咩pattern呀？

Synonym: 圖案

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to refer to being rejected. (食檸檬)

Usage: E.g. This time eat lemon la，very chaam chaam pig.

Synonym: 食檸檬

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

Definition: (textspeak) Transliterated from ‘緊‘, this is a Kongish code-mixing term that is added to the end of verbs to denote the sense of ongoing, just like the ‘ing’ in English as in ‘doing’.

Usage: E.g. Nei jo gun d meh ar? （你做緊d咩呀？） E.g. Ngo sik gun farn ah. (我食緊飯呀）

Synonym: 緊

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/tag/kongish/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers who rely on Apple company completely for their phone warranty service.

Usage: E.g. Q: 點解你個IPhone唔用case? A: 因為我有Apple care. Apple幫我care. 我唔洗care. I don’t care! (Q: Why don't you have a case for your IPhone? A: Because I have Apple Care. Apple helps me take care of my phone, which means I don't need to care. I don't care!)

Synonym: 蘋果保養

Reference: https://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=30600166

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to a meeting invitation sent out by the MS Outlook software.

Usage: E.g. 係咪聽日想開會傾呢樣野？唔該send個invitation黎先。

Synonym: 邀請