Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to tell somebody to hurry up, which is similar to the phrase 'chop chop' in English. (Also see 'la la lum')

Usage: E.g. Ja ja lum go to school now or you will miss the bus! Eg. Finish your homework! Ja ja lum la!

Synonym: 咋咋臨

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase that working class Hong Kongers use to describe a business structure that scams people and is prone to collapse or failure, as 'chicken' (雞) in Cantonese can also be used to describe something cheap or weak.

Usage: E.g. This company has people coming to work and leaving the job all the time! Such build chicken shed!

Synonym: 搭雞棚

Reference: https://ukdodgy.com/2024/04/06/scam

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term that refers to 'together' in English.

Usage: E.g. Nei zi chin mai wah seung do new pt, my frd arm arm told me kui find gun ppl, go tgt oj ng oj? (你之前咪話想做新Part Time，我朋友同我講佢搵緊人，一齊去好唔好？)

Synonym: together

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/283411/大學生打字用火星文-10句港式英文拼音大挑戰-測試你識幾多

Definition: (adj) Often pronounced as 'fan', this is a noun-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe the degree of a friendship.

Usage: E.g. 你係咪同佢好fan架？ E.g. 喂，你唔好扮哂好fan咁喎。我都唔係識左你好耐。 E.g. 其實我同你唔係好fan。

Reference: https://holiday.presslogic.com/article/224449/港式-廣東話-中英夾雜-口語-香港人-搭lift-食lunch

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to tell somebody to shut the f**k up. It is used instead of the Cantonese equivalent '收皮' in order to tone down the directness of this very rude phrase. It originates from street vendors who used to pack their things up on wooden mats when police arrived back in those days of Hong Kong.

Usage: E.g. 喂，講完未呀？Collect skin啦。E.g. 真係頂你唔順呀，快D collect skin啦。

Synonym: 收皮

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.instagram.com/p/Cy8AD_WtaxO/ (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to going to bars and clubs because they find the Cantonese equivalent terms a lot more suitable for a mature audience.

Usage: E.g. A: 去唔去clubbing呀？B: 你指係邊啲？A: 緊唔係夜總會啦！(A: Do you want to go clubbing? B: Which type are you referring to? A: Of course not nightclubs!)

Synonym: 夜店，夜總會

Reference: https://jyutdictionary.com/dictionary/entry/夜總會

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to whether people are on the same page of a situation or task.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得我地唔係好sync。可唔可以catch up一吓我地做既野?

Synonym: 同步

Reference: https://www.cw.com.tw/article/5114233

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a meeting that highlights the key points rather than something that is more like a presentation.

Usage: E.g. 返工要提前返去briefing又唔計工時係咪犯法？(Is it illegal for an employee to go to work earlier for a briefing but not pay them salary?)

Synonym: 簡報會

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2566840/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to the list of dishes available at a restaurant. (餐牌)

Usage: E.g. 伙記，唔該比個menu我睇呀。

Synonym: 餐牌

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

Definition: A code-mixing term used by upper class Hong Kongers to refer to sea urchin in a Japanese restaurant.

Usage: E.g. 當你碰上「海膽壽司」時，你可能會說Uni Sushi，但一些餐館會稱「海膽」為Sea Urchin來代替Uni (When you come across "sea urchin sushi", you will probably say Uni Sushi, but some restaurants will still use "sea urchin" to refer to uni.)

Synonym: 海膽; sea urchin

Reference: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2011/12/21/ED1112210026.htm