Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term used to describe how poor (慘) someone is.

Usage: E.g. I cried coz I am very chaam. E.g. 今次考試肥左真係好chaam。 E.g. 做到扒左喺到咁真係ｃｈａａｍｃｈａａｍ豬。

Synonym: 慘

Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/3056055/【港式英文】嫌米綫店「updup」及食客「wuddud」%20%20%20%20港女IG發文形容好「Chaam」

Definition: (textspeak, vulgar) A code-mixing term used by Gen Z native Hong Kongers when they laugh so f***ing hard that they could literally or figuratively trip and fall on the street. Sometimes, the acronym be translated into different versions in order to act like euphemism for a swear word phrase.

Usage: E.g. sldpk (少年的拼勁) (Hong Kong artist Lam Ka-hin used “sldpk” in a post on his social media, justifying his usage with a Cantonese word pun to refer to the swear word phrase indirectly.)

Synonym: 笑撚到仆街; 少年的拼勁; 成龍打保錡

Reference: https://tyr-jour.hkbu.edu.hk/2024/12/15/canto-slang-connects-gen-zers-in-hong-kong/

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that a Jayden Mami loves to use to refer to a more casual way of learning something rather than the formal way of acquiring skills and information.

Usage: E.g. Jayden呀，有時間就去pick up English啦。你唔用既話會好快forget架。(Jayden, go and pick up English when you have time. If you don't use it, you will forget it.)

Synonym: 學識; 練習

Reference: https://hk.amazingtalker.com/questions/8407

Definition: This is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to social class.  However, it is often pronounced as 'car' or 'car屎' by grassroot class Hong Kongers.

Usage: E.g. 喂呢間餐廳好high car屎喎。 E.g. 今日洗唔洗著到咁high car屎呀? E.g. 唔好成日扮到咁high car啦。中左六合彩咩？

Synonym: 階層

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to tasks that can be easily overtaken by the AI in this day and age.

Usage: E.g. 當AI包辦愈來愈多office work，中層最難解釋自己嘅價值。(When AI takes over more and more office work, it can be the most difficult for people working in middle management to explain their value.)

Synonym: 辦公室工作

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/_vU5J7Dr9/

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term that is derived from '陣間', which means a while later.

Usage: E.g. Zhen garn lunch go ng go sing K?

Synonym: 陣間

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: Derived from '老屎忽' meaning 'old buttocks', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase used to refer to a person who has high authority in a company but often looks down on the subordinates, points fingers at them, and uses them to his or her advantage.

Usage: E.g. My senior is such an old seafood! He just likes to point his finger at people and doesn't do anything himself!

Synonym: 老屎忽

Definition: (textspeak) Known as Martian language, this is a code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong local students when they want to ask what another person is doing.

Usage: E.g. nei joe mud? (What are you doing?)

Synonym: 你做乜?

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrQohDNJ9Gp/?img_index=3 (use mobile version)

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 term used by native Hong Kongers to divert one topic to another in a polite manner.

Usage: E.g. 係呀，個proposal已經搞掂了。Anyway, 我兒家要去開meeting。 E.g. 份proposal仲未搞掂？Anyways, 我兒家要食lunch喇。

Synonym: 點都好; 無論如何

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