Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term that overseas educated Hong Kongers use in place of the Cantonese equivalent '交換'.

Usage: E.g. Ａ：我地swap一個球員好唔好？Ｂ：好呀，我同你swap啦。

Synonym: 交換

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers who are obsessed with the Pokemon trading card game that they are willing to collect and resell pokemon cards of the highest values.

Usage: E.g. 藍田站交收 20 萬 Pokemon Card 慘被搶。(A man was robbed while exchanging $200,000 worth of Pokemon Cards at Lam Tin Station.)

Synonym: 精靈寶可夢 (China), 神奇寶貝 (Taiwan), 寵物小精靈 (Hong Kong), ポケモンカードゲーム (Japan)

Reference: https://ezone.hk/article/20085941/藍田站交收-萬-pokemon-card-慘被搶去卡錢盡失-網民嘲-咁貴都唔出閘面交/1

Definition: Often pronounced as 'fat check', this is a code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to verifying the validity and accuracy of something.

Usage: E.g. 洗唔洗fact check一吓呢個人係真定係假？（Do we need to fact check this person to see if he is real or fake?)

Synonym: 事實查核

Reference: https://medialiteracy.hk/不看你絕對後悔：fact-check背後的「真相」/

Definition: Pronounced as 'm-tee-ah-lo', this is a code-mixing term used by the grassroot class Hong Kongers to refer to the train station.

Usage: E.g. Foreigner: Excuse me, where is the MTR? HK'er: What? Foreigner: Where is the 'm-tee-ah-lo'? HK'er: Oh I understand! 'm-tee-ah-lo' is over there!

Synonym: 港鐵

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase that native Hong Kongers use to tell the other person to bring it on! (放馬過來)

Usage: E.g. I am not afraid of playing against you. Put your horse to me!

Synonym: 放馬過來

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?3,139574,139575

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to ‘mechanical engineering’.

Usage: E.g. 小時讀mechan 第時揸貨van (If we choose to study mechanical engineering when we were young, we will end up driving a cargo van.) E.g. 到底我做左幾多錯事 讀完mechan 出黎做IT9 (What on earth did I do wrong? I finished studying mechanical engineering and became an IT dog.)

Synonym: 機械工程

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BAZQJOQ7dx/

Definition: An irreplaceable code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the kind of love relationship that one can get while being a teenager or kid.

Usage: E.g. 咁細個就談戀愛？Puppy love呀？ E.g. 唔好成日掛住puppy love啦。讀好D書先啦。

Reference: https://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/tc/item/cuhk-321644

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers as a less official way of grumbling or whining about something just to vent off one's anger because doing this formally might just require a bit too much paperwork.

Usage: E.g. 我要complain你啲attitude囉，好差呀你哋公司，I won't come again. 叫你哋最大粒同我出嚟！我要complain！(I have to complain about your attitude, the bad things about your company, and I won't come again. Ask your most senior guy to come out! I want to complain!)

Synonym: 投訴

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/226740/page/6

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kong students love to use to refer to having an argument with another person in a peaceful, academic manner.

Usage: E.g. 我同我個男朋友平時好鍾意嗌交，嗌吓呢樣又嗰樣，不過都係debate姐。(I like to argue with my boyfriend all the time, about this and that, but it's just debating.)

Synonym: 辯論

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@yyanchi._/post/C3_6NO0ySjE?hl=zh-hk

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