Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: An idiom made popular by the toy product 'Need Son Ng Need Mum', this is a Kongish code-mixing phrase that refers to the Chinese family tradition of favouring sons over daughters in carrying on a bloodline.

Usage: E.g. A: Do you think you come from a traditional family? B: Yes! Need son ng need mum!

Synonym: 要仔唔要乸, 重男輕女

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@apetoys/post/DNfCsgkP2qd/限量預訂嘩曱甴懷孕動物-要仔唔要乸-第六彈-小強系列need-son-ng-need-mum-small-strong-series全12款1隱藏款每盒都有男b

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to describe the feeling of eating too much.

Usage: E.g. 食完打邊爐再飲咖啡會好ｈｅａｖｙ。

Synonym: 好腬

Definition: A more neutral-sounding term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to '購物' or '買野', which signify the commitment to buying things.

Usage: E.g. 女朋友：我地聽日去商場啦。男朋友：吓？又買野？！女朋友：唔係呀。去shopping咋嘛。 E.g. 女朋友：我地聽日去shopping啦。男朋友：又買野？！女朋友：去window shopping咋嘛。

Reference: https://www.academia.edu/1177618/Cantonese_English_code_switching_research_in_Hong_Kong_A_survey_of_recent_research

Definition: Often pronounced in two syllables as 'shu-ah' and used with ‘唔‘ (not), this is a cool sounding code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers when they want to express absolute uncertainty over a subject matter in an informal setting.

Usage: E.g. 佢係唔係好叻？我唔sure。(Is he really smart? I am not sure.) E.g. 今日會唔會落雨？我唔sure。(Will it rain today? I am not sure.) E.g. 佢阿媽係唔係女人？我唔sure。(Is his mom a woman? I am not sure.)

Synonym: 肯定

Reference: https://www.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=30817621

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase that working class Hong Kongers use when they are scared and freaked out by something.

Usage: E.g. Scare die me! You are so early in office today?!

Synonym: 嚇死我

Reference: https://graduate.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/20239/2025職場英語-別再說-LIST-OUT-10大常見港式英語錯誤-外國人都聽唔明-4個戒掉港式英語必學的商業用語及常用英式廣東話一覽

Definition: Pronounced with a rising intonation on the second syllable and with a non-rhotic 'r' sound at the end of the word, this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to a small lockable compartment used in a gym or school. As for the reason why the Cantonese equivalent '儲物櫃' is not used, it could be that it makes it sound like it is made in China.

Usage: E.g. Locker好似好少人會講儲物櫃咁。

Synonym: 儲物櫃

Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/2169173/網民嚴選-10-個用英文多過中文表達的生字-網民-同朕-check-下

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers to emphasize the duration of time that an event is happening which is probably not coming to an end so soon.

Usage: E.g. 總之as long as我係你個上司，你就要聽我講既野。(In short, as long as I am your superior, you have to listen to what I say.)

Synonym: 只要

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/100094319732462/posts/簡單總結返尋日live-1-租務改革令租客更難租樓難言對經濟整體有正面影響2-對於hong-kong-scouser嘅campaign-我哋認為同我地bno平權/689410454212940/

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: A tag switching phrase overused by Fake ABCs to create a western appeal.

Usage: Eg. Come on baby! 聽日同我出街啦！

Synonym: 來吧

Reference: https://www.ctgoodjobs.hk/article/中英夾雜-同事經常扮abc-文法錯漏百出-打工仔-唔識就講返中文啦/1342-29015

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers when they want to tell somebody to be ready to do something anytime without making them feel ordered to do the task.

Usage: E.g. 聽日放工記住隨時standby，有可能有客搵你。(Remember to standby tomorrow after work, as there may be customers who need you.)

Synonym: 待命；候命

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3476706/page/1