Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: Originated from sports and often used with a ‘咗’ in Cantonese denoting past tense, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to deceiving someone with a posture or misinformation rather than something like a fraud or scam, even though it can be serious at times causing real inconvenience to people.

Usage: E.g. 俾 "轉工要趁後生" 呢句嘢fake咗 (I got misled by the saying "Take the opportunity to change jobs while we are young".)

Synonym: fake咗

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3004954/page/2

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to a simulated military battle game where air guns are used. It is more appropriate to use than the Cantonese equivalent ‘野戰‘ because fighting a wild battle has sexual connotations in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 男：不如一齊打war game好嗎？ 女：好呀 (Boy: What about playing war game together? Girl: Sure!) E.g. 男：不如一齊打野戰好嗎？女：*啪！* (Boy: What about fighting a wild battle together? Girl: *Slap!*

Synonym: 野戰

Reference: https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/lin/cbrc/cbcl/doc/ppt/david_li.pdf

Definition: To get a refund for something due to dissatisfaction.

Usage: The service was so bad, that's why I wanted to wui shui.

Synonym: 回水

Definition: A code-mixing word that working class Hong Kongers love to use instead of the Cantonese equivalent '資料庫' in the IT sector. Also see 'db'.

Usage: E.g. Con唔connect得到個database呀? E.g. 內地人：你能夠連接得到個資料庫嗎？ 香港人：你指個database?

Synonym: 資料庫

Definition: (adj.) A code-mixing term used to describe someone or something as being very trendy.

Usage: E.g. 哇，你今日著得好IN呀。 E.g. 聽返D流行音樂，咁先夠IN架嘛。 E.g. 做後生仔要夠IN先得架嘛。

Synonym: 潮

Definition: A way to sound more certain and less hesitant when your friend/boyfriend/girlfriend is asking you whether you want to do something with him or her.

Usage: E.g. 朋友: 聽日去唔去睇戲呀？ 你: Depends啦。 E.g. 女朋友: 係咪聽日去shopping呀? 你: Depends啦。 E.g. 女朋友: 係咪聽日去shopping呀? 你: 睇下點啦。　*啪！*

Synonym: 睇下點

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to refer to a social event.

Usage: E.g. 最近公司有咩function要搞？

Reference: https://www.gotrip.hk/生活/中英夾雜-港式廣東話-gt12-772959/

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: 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 grassroots Hong Kongers to refer to “no pay leave” or non-paid leave.

Usage: E.g. 請唔到病假咪請low pay leave囉! （no pay leave)

Synonym: 無薪假期