Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: Originated from a Hong Kong TV advertisement in the 90's, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a second chance, which is most known for warning someone that there is no second chance in life.

Usage: E.g. 香港的公益廣告曾有一句廣告詞「生命無『Take two』」很深入人心，意思是說「生命沒有第二次機會，要珍惜生命」(Hong Kong's public service advertisements once had a well-known slogan "There is no 'Take two' in life", which means "there is no second chance in life, we must cherish life".)

Synonym: 第二次機會

Reference: https://www.tkww.hk/epaper/view/newsDetail/1674492649207500800.html

Definition: Often pronounced without the 'r' sounds and with a rising tone on the second syllable, this is an a lot more linguistically efficient way of referring to printer (打印機）in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 內地人:個打印機喺邊呀？ 香港人：咩話？三個字咁累贅。叫返ｐｒｉｎｔｅｒ啦唔該。

Synonym: 打印機

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

Definition: A code-mixing term used to mean fashionable and attractive.  However, it can also refer to being snobby sometimes.

Usage: E.g. 哇，你載左太陽眼鏡好cool呀。 E.g. 唔好成日係到扮cool啦。你以為你自己好型咩？

Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

Definition: A code-mixing term that Fake ABC's in Hong Kong use to refer to the 'chemistry' between two people, which is the attraction between them.

Usage: E.g. 我覺得佢地都幾有chemical reaction。

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uik5GWvXiLA&t=210s

Definition: Often used as 'baby pig' (BB豬) in Cantonese, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to call their lovers.

Usage: E.g. BB豬，你買D咩生日禮物比我呀？

Synonym: 寶貝

Definition: Originated from the Cantonese movie 'Night King' starring Dayo Wong, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kong actress Kay Choi who played the role of a nightclub lady and used it as her name, which was somewhat translated from the place Kwai Fong in Hong Kong.

Usage: E.g. 我叫Franchesca！今年19歲半，四捨五入都係 19 歲，嚟自香港葵芳。(I am Franchesca. I am 19 and a half years old, or 19 if rounded down. I come from Kwai Fong in Hong Kong.)

Synonym: 葵芳

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/D100Radio/posts/我叫franchesca今年19歲半四捨五入都係-19-歲嚟自香港葵芳江少真人靚過上鏡新一季虎豹獵奇打響頭炮嘉賓就係電影夜王裏飾演葵芳而爆紅嘅演員-蔡蕙琪-ka/1565701778891323/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a social situation where one feels very strange and uncomfortable, rather than an embarrassing situation where one feels ashamed or humiliated, as the Cantonese equivalent term '尷尬' can take on any of those two meanings.

Usage: E.g. 本來咁多人約左出黎食飯點知得返你地兩個，會唔會覺得好awkward? (Originally many people were going to have a meal together, but only two of you came. Did it feel awkward?)

Synonym: 尷尬

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@janemanic.english/post/DHpmw9YRm-y/很多人分不清-embarrassedembarrassing-和-awkward雖然它們都有尷尬的意思但用法不同-embarrassed-形容人的感受例如-i-?hl=zh-hk

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kong students use to refer to '教授'.

Usage: E.g. 有咩唔識快D問Professor啦！ E.g. Professor到未架，咁耐既？

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

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a man who relies on his wife or girlfriend to sustain a living.

Usage: E.g. Be a real man and stop eating soft rice!

Synonym: 食軟飯

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to gestures and customs that an employee must do or learn when they work in a company.

Usage: E.g. 老細黎到仲唔識DO? 快D讓座同沖杯咖啡比佢啦！ E.g. 打工仔要識DO先得，如果咪好快冇得撈。

Synonym: 做

Reference: https://www.etnet.com.hk/www/tc/lifestyle/archive/goodjob/23372