Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A fashionable, elegant way of referring to dinner in Cantonese.

Usage: Eg. 去邊到食dinner好呢？ Eg. 你想去邊到吃din呀？

Synonym: 晚餐

Reference: http://www.patrickchu.net/uploads/9/0/5/3/9053324/2007_free_ppt.pdf

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers when they admire or recognise the value of someone or something and want to show gratitude at the same time.

Usage: E.g. 好appreciate你咁短時間去練廣東話，真係好彩你聲底好靚，同埋你音樂感好好，即使廣東話唔係你最擅長嘅。(I really appreciate that you learned Cantonese in such a short period of time. It's very fortunate that you have a great voice and a very good music sense, even though Cantonese is not your strength.)

Synonym: 欣賞；感激；多謝

Reference: https://ol.mingpao.com/ldy/showbiz/latest/20260122/1769072872519/《中4》藝人代表「貓女郎」引發腹式呼吸之爭-肥媽被取笑鬧爆周國豐

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers prefer to use to accompany Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus because they can experience the happiness first with ‘merry’ compared to the Cantonese equivalent ’聖誕節快樂‘ where the happiness '快樂‘ is placed after Christmas.

Usage: E.g. 聖誕節又黎喇！Merry Christmas! (Christmas is coming! Merry Christmas!)

Synonym: 聖誕節快樂, 聖誕快樂

Reference: https://www.weekendhk.com/香港好去處/聖誕好去處-商場-打卡-飄雪-3275849/

Definition: A code-mixing term that is used when you really care not to offend someone.

Usage: E.g. Frankly speaking呢，我覺得你唔夠ｑｕａｌｉ囉。 E.g. Frankly speaking呢，我對你既印象麻麻地囉。 E.g. Frankly speaking呢，我覺得你好扮野囉。

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to a year where one’s Chinese zodiac offends or clashes with the God of Tai Sui, which means the fortune of the year will not be as smooth as others.

Usage: I was born in the year of the snake and I am fan tai sui this year! Let’s go to the temple to pray for protection and peace!

Synonym: 犯太歲

Reference: https://chinesenewyear.net/zodiac/tai-sui/

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone who is crazy, or a situation that is outrageous or unbelievable. (痴線 - ci1 sin3) Literal meaning: To have your electrical wires touching. Ie. Short circuit in the brain.

Usage: E.g. Chi sin! You used all your money to gamble?! E.g. Chi sin! The restaurant gave me the wrong bill! E.g. Chi sin! You won the lottery?!!

Synonym: 痴線

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

Definition: A nicer-sounding phrase than '重複檢查' or '檢查兩次', which means to check again or check two times.

Usage: E.g. 每次考試時記住double check份卷。

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to describe a person with a feminised voice.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得呢個男人cam cam哋。唔知真係男人定係女人呢？

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

Definition: With a literal meaning of pig‘s intestines, this is a code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to someone who is lazy and has no progress in life. It originates from the swear word '撚樣‘ and is used as a euphemism for calling someone a dick face.

Usage: E.g. Ditch me again?! This guy is such a fun cheung! (又放我飛機？呢條友仔正粉腸!)

Synonym: 粉腸

Reference: https://jyutdictionary.com/dictionary/entry/粉腸

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。