Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that westernised Hong Kongers like to use to refer to the sport of walking long distances on mountains because they have gotten so used to it and see it as a hobby rather than something laborious like '行山', which literally translates to 'walk mountain'.

Usage: E.g. 今個weekend去唔去hiking呀? 不如今次行遠D呀? (Do you want to go hiking this weekend? What about going on a longer trail?)

Synonym: 行山

Reference: https://letsgohiking.blog/

Definition: This is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to '噱頭'.

Usage: E.g. 你有沒有留意樓下那家coffee shop最近常做promotion，我覺得滿有gimmick

Synonym: 噱頭

Reference: https://hk.news.yahoo.com/港人中英夾雜有規律-網友-太神奇-020000181.html

Definition: A code-mixing phrase that overseas educated Hong Kongers use when they want to express their well-educated guess or opinion on a subject matter without sounding so formal and bookish.

Usage: E.g. 呢個program我覺得in general係幾學到野。(I think I can really learn from this program in general.)

Synonym: 一般而言

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3990504/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term by native Hong Kongers to avoid saying the word 'like' in order to sound more professional in formal situations, or to avoid sounding biased when you like one item more than another.

Usage: E.g. 你prefer今星期邊一日interview呀？ E.g. 你prefer幾點睇戲呀？ E.g. 我prefer佢個idea多D。

Synonym: 比較喜歡

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers like to use to describe something that is not yet done or paid.

Usage: E.g. 依家仲有咩case係outstanding?

Synonym: 未解決

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong KOL Janice (janicewanwan) who is known for playing "Jayden’s mother" to emphasize the correctness of her teachings as a typical modern mom, which she says must be correct.

Usage: E.g. 中英夾雜有助 children 盡快 pick up English。Mommy told you 嘅一定是 correct 的. (Chinese-English code-mixing aids children in picking up English more quickly. Whatever Mommy told you must be correct.)

Synonym: 媽媽告訴你

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/即時娛樂/60339385/jayden之亂-中英夾雜潮文橫掃社交平台-諷刺港媽真實育兒方式?utm_campaign=native&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=01webshare#google_vignette

Definition: A noun-turned-adjective code-mixing term used to describe how charming or attractive a person is.

Usage: E.g. 喂，你覺得佢好ｃｈａｒｍ嗎？ E.g. 你今日著得好cｈａｒｍ喎。

Synonym: 有魅力

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: Pronounced as 'tee-suu', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers have grown up with and got used to instead of the equivalent term in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 請問有冇tissue呀？。E.g. 唔該比張tissue黎呀，唔該。

Synonym: 紙巾

Definition: Purportedly to have come from ‘娘’ meaning an old married woman, this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone’s appearance as old-fashioned.

Usage: E.g. 你今日著衫好leung！(You dress very old-fashioned today!)

Synonym: 娘

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?14,140076,140076