Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: This is a code-mixing phrase commonly used to replace 最後一日 when the last day of activity is reached.

Usage: E.g. 今日係唔係last day?

Synonym: 最後一日

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to a meeting that is usually shorter than what is already brief and leaves people thinking it should have been longer.

Usage: E.g. Standup meeting講得一句太brief，judge唔到performance。(A stand-up meeting can only allow people say a few sentences that are too brief, which is hard for judging an employee's performance.)

Synonym: 站立會議; 站會

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/88607/page/1

Definition: (vulgar, textspeak) A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who's idiotic and stupid. It originated from the Cantonese words '憨鳩' because the '鳩' (penis) has a similar pronunciation as the number 9 in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. Why did you piss on me? Are you on9? (憨鳩) E.g. Don't be so on99 and watch where you're going! (憨鳩鳩)

Synonym: 憨鳩

Reference: https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=28512

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to pulling a face that looks pretentious in order to look cool.

Usage: E.g. 林峯：你睇吓我個樣夠唔夠chok？！

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-hea-chok-chur/

Definition: (vulgar) Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to call someone a bastard or son of a bitch. Also has the meaning of gigolo, which originated from Fuzhou in China. (契弟)

Usage: E.g. You are dead meat, sworn brother! (契弟) E.g. Oh gosh we are doomed. This time we are gonna be sworn brothers. (做契弟） E.g. So you’ve been treating me like a sworn brother all along? （當我契弟） E.g. Sworn brother walks slowly. （契弟走得摩）

Synonym: 契弟

Reference: https://baike.baidu.hk/item/%E5%A5%91%E5%BC%9F/7349815

Definition: Originated from the Cantonese movie 'Night King' starring Dayo Wong (黃子華), this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the Lai King MTR station.

Usage: E.g. A: 今晚去唔去荔景？B: 好呀。不過荔景幾時變左Night King？！(A: Want to go to Lai King tonight? B: Sure. But when did Lai King become Night King?!)

Synonym: 夜王, 荔景

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/電影/60330286/夜王-葵芳一角爆紅-港鐵葵芳站改名franchesca-仲有隱藏廣播

Definition: An ultra professional code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers especially senior managers to refer to a suitable candidate that can take over an employee's job so they don't have to sound like they are getting just anyone to take over a job for the sake of cutting costs.

Usage: E.g. 之前公司有條友非高層secondment。每個月畀agent 160k 新老細嚟咗即刻炒佢。Replacement 可能一半價錢到 (I had a colleague in my past company who was not a senior level secondment position but paid the agency 160k per month. Then a new boss came and fired him immediately. The replacement could have been half the cost.)

Synonym: 搵人接替

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/2955436/page/2

Definition: Derived from '一舊舊' meaning 'in lumps', this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to someone talking in an unclear, broken manner. Sometimes, it can also refer to work being done in a sloppy way.

Usage: E.g. 最後功能就係開會叫晒啲落手做既同business owner黎自己傾，自己就成個文員咁係側邊mark notes，有啲廢pm就連呢part都做到1999要人事後叫佢改 (E.g. The last useful thing they would do is to hold a meeting that lets the workers and business owners to talk to each other, and the project manager would just be like a clerk marking notes at the side. Some crappy project managers would even do this part in a very sloppy way that people needed to tell them to revise it afterwards.)

Synonym: 一舊舊

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-internet-and-texting-slang-to-use-right-now

Definition: Often complemented with '跌' meaning 'decrease'', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe the state of becoming worse and being out of shape, like a decrease in wattage of a device.

Usage: E.g. Sophie 搞咩，同GM 一齊後跌曬Watt, 由女神變平民，噤熄自己嘅光…冇曬自己。(What's wrong with Sophie? After being with GM, she became out of shape entirely. From a goddess to a commoner, she turned off the spotlight on her... and lost herself completely.)

Synonym: 瓦; 功率

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BBmvzp26S-/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to the ability to understand and recognise something with our five senses, which include sight, hear, smell, taste and feel.

Usage: E.g. 男人好容易sense到女人鍾意咗自己嘅咩？(Can a man very easily sense that a woman likes him?)

Synonym: 感覺

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3392065/page/3