Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers as a milder way of calling someone a newbie or referring to someone who is new or inexperienced at something.

Usage: E.g. 上次份banking工有feedback話我太green，想問我有無興趣去compliance到做。(There was feedback from my last banking job saying that I was too green, and they asked me whether I had an interest to work in compliance.)

Synonym: 新手; 缺乏經驗

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3981656/page/39

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: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to refer to something that is so obvious that there is no need to ask anyone about it, especially after finding out the wrong of somebody. 'Ah Gui' is a name that originated from an infamous official (李世桂) in the Qing Dynasty.

Usage: E.g. It must be him who let out the secrets! No need to ask Ah Gui!

Synonym: 唔洗問阿貴

Reference: https://www.kamadelivery.com/blog/posts/香港10大俗語-地道文化背景大解構/

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term that refers to 'together' in English.

Usage: E.g. Nei zi chin mai wah seung do new pt, my frd arm arm told me kui find gun ppl, go tgt oj ng oj? (你之前咪話想做新Part Time，我朋友同我講佢搵緊人，一齊去好唔好？)

Synonym: together

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: This is a code-mixing phrase that Hong Kongers like to use instead of '諗到' in Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. 我暫時仲未figure out到點樣solve個problem。

Reference: https://english.cool/code-switching/

Definition: An alternative way of referring to someone who's getting on your nerves, as the equivalent term '挑戰' in Cantonese sounds too much like a real duel or battle and hence too provocative to use.

Usage: E.g. 老闆：夠喇。你唔好係到挑戰我。你:我幾時有挑戰過你呀？！ E.g. 老闆：夠喇。你唔好係到challenge我。你:*silence*

Synonym: 挑戰

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use instead of the Cantonese equivalent '心情'.

Usage: E.g. 今日出面咁多人咁迫，真係冇咩mood行街。

Synonym: 心情

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

Definition: A convenient English phrase used by native Hong Kongers to avoid going into negative detail about someone who does not understand you.

Usage: E.g. 朋友: 喂，你講野好唔make sense喎。你：真的嗎？ E.g. 我覺得你講野make sense，不過我唔係太明。 E.g. 你講野都唔make sense，廢鬼事再聽你講。

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to describe someone who sleeps very late and doesn't wake up early. Similar to 'night owl' in English. (夜貓/夜鬼)

Usage: E.g. Maintain good health by sleeping early! Don't be a night cat / night ghost!

Synonym: 夜貓/夜鬼

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/55996/

Definition: Short for 'job description', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kong HR departments like to use to refer to the piece of text that describes the job nature and responsibilities of a position in a company, which may be long or short depending on how much they want an applicant to know about the job.

Usage: E.g. 又話會send份JD比我睇？你send左去邊度？(I thought you were going to send me the JD to have a look? Where did you send it to?)

Synonym: 工作內容

Reference: https://english.cool/job-description/