Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: Often used as '搞爛gag', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a lame joke or broken joke.

Usage: E.g. 你唔好成日喺到搞爛gag啦！一Ｄ都唔好笑！

Reference: https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/爛Gag

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to computer that has become unavailable, possibly due to a crash.  Sometimes, it is used as the shortened version of 'download'.

Usage: E.g. 大獲喇！公司server down機呀！快Ｄ搵人整呀！（當機） E.g. Down完個file未呀？咁耐既？（下載）

Synonym: 當機; 下載

Reference: https://www.studocu.com/hk/document/city-university-of-hong-kong/world-englishes/lecture-3-city-university-of-hong-kongen5714-world-englishes-and-the-social-context-of/20063922

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the amount of money that a candidate hopes for a job but often never receives.

Usage: E.g. 致hr. 如果expected salary 你比唔到，請你唔好call人去interview (To Human Resources Department: If you can't pay the expected salary, please don't call someone for an interview)

Synonym: 期望薪金

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BATTJ3hLeN/

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing phrase that refers to someone who disappeared for a long time and no one knows where they are.

Usage: E.g. A: Where did your classmate go? B: I think he dived under water.

Synonym: 潛水

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/cantonese-slang-of-the-week-diving-under-water

Definition: A code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers use to refer to an equipment that helps connect computer networks together.

Usage: E.g. 個router係咪壞左？點解冇network既？

Synonym: 路由器

Reference: https://www.threads.net/@hongtonese/post/C8zlfwZytLZ

Definition: A shortened code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to the word 'register', such as registering for an account in an app to become a member.

Usage: E.g. 快D download個app再reg個account成為會員啦！

Synonym: 申請

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers use to refer to the activity of finding a job, which definitely sounds more fun, exciting and challenging than the Cantonese equivalent terms '求職' and '找工作'.

Usage: E.g. A: 你搵到工嗎? B: 冇呀，我仲喺到job hunting。

Synonym: 求職, 找工作

Reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong/comments/1opsow8/job_hunting_socialising_in_hk/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to the numerical maximum and minimum of something such as salary, rather than something like an area or three dimensional.

Usage: E.g. expected salary寫左一個range(20-23k) 依個range hr話ok 但冇同我講offer最後會出幾錢 (I wrote 20 to 30k for expected salary and the human resources department said it was okay, but they did not tell me how much the offer would be at the end.)

Synonym: 薪酬範圍

Reference: https://www.threads.com/share/BBJcLB6BK2/

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to keeping a company going without necessarily managing it. Sometimes, it can extend to running a family and keeping it alive.

Usage: E.g. 噢喔～原來Run一頭家 同Run一間公司差唔多。我們是彼此最重要的合作夥伴 (Oh... In fact, running a household is pretty much the same as running a company. We are each other's most important partners.)

Synonym: 經營; 運行

Reference: https://www.threads.com/@miffylulu0423/post/DYutyJzFkii/噢喔原來run一頭家-同run一間公司差唔多我們是彼此最重要的合作夥伴我們不談犧牲-只談合作分工我們不爭錯對-旨在共同解決問題我們不互相消耗-意在互相滋養我們不/

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to avoid seeming as if you have almost forgotten to mention something.

Usage: E.g. By the way, 你可唔可以幫我搞掂埋呢份proposal? E.g. By the way, 你今晚幾時得閒呀?

Synonym: 順便講