Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing term added to the end of verbs to express the meaning of completely or to a large extent. (晒 - saai3)

Usage: E.g. Mm goi sai! (Thank you so much!) 唔該晒 E.g. Dor jeh sai! (Thank you very much!) 多謝晒 E.g. Jo sai! (Done everything!) 做晒 E.g. Sik sai! (Eaten everything!) 食晒 E.g. Mo sai! (No more left!) 冇晒

Synonym: 晒

Reference: http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1592/

Definition: A romanised code-mixing phrase used by foreigners when they come across a local Hong Konger who thinks they know how to speak Cantonese. Literal meaning: I don't know how to speak Cantonese.

Usage: E.g. Foreigner: Mm goi sai! Dor jeh! Hong Konger: Wow, your Cantonese is so good! Foreigner: Ngo mm sik gong gwong dong wa.

Synonym: 我唔識講廣東話

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/travel/basic-cantonese-phrases-every-traveller-to-hong-kong-needs-to-know

Definition: Originated from Japanese TV show, this is an Englishised code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to a teenage-like person who often only lives in their own world and does things just to satisfy themselves, or even acting as if they have secret powers.

Usage: E.g. 鍾培生吊威也求婚女友未say yes硬戴戒指網民：太中二了 (Derek Chung proposed to his girlfriend with a wire stunt and put the ring on her while she has not even said yes. Netizens commented: "Such secondary two syndrome!")

Synonym: 中二病

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1239684264415029/

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by real ABC Hong Kongers to say 'please', 'excuse me' or 'thank you', depending on the situation. (唔該)

Usage: E.g. Mm goi. (To call the waiter at a restaurant) E.g. Mm goi jeh jeh (Excuse me, please let me through) E.g. Mm goi sai! (Thank you very much!) E.g. Set A lunch, mm goi. (Set A lunch, please) E.g. Mm goi, where is the MTR? (May I ask where is the MTR?)

Synonym: 唔該

Reference: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/hong-kong/articles/12-phrases-you-need-to-know-before-you-visit-hong-kong#:~:text=An%2520alternative%2520to%2520%E2%80%9Chou%2520ging,jeng%E2%80%9D%2520if%2520something%2520is%2520awesome.

Definition: A code-mixing term used by grassroots class Hong Kongers to refer to how thoroughly cooked a steak is, which is equivalent to ‘well done’ in native English.

Usage: E.g. 個鬼佬轉另轉頭問我: whatxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx? 我好自豪 充滿自信 大大聲答: GOOD JOB!! 個鬼佬就呆哂 唔明我無啦啦做乜講GOOD JOB咁 女友見到 即刻幫我答:WELL DONE (The western waiter then asked me: whatxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx? I was proud and confident and answered loudly: GOOD JOB! The western waiter was speechless and didn't understand why I said good job. When my girlfriend saw this, she immediately helped me answer: WELL DONE)

Synonym: 全熟

Reference: https://amp.lihkg.com/thread/561255/page/1

Definition: A code-mixing term used by a Jayden Mami as a more precise and technical way of referring to an ordered waiting line. Also, it is often complemented with the English word 'long' to exaggerate the lengthiness of a queue when scolding a child.

Usage: E.g. 講咗呢啲holiday就係咁多人queue，條queue就係咁long嘅，冇可能你自己乜嘢都玩晒㗎嘛，係咪呀Jayden？(I have already said these holidays should have so many people queuing up. The queue is just that long, do you know you cannot play everything yourself, right Jayden?)

Synonym: 隊；龍

Reference: https://topick.hket.com/article/4112744/Jayden之亂｜KOL拍片諷刺「Jayden媽」偽ABC育兒法%E3%80%80揭爆紅現象時間線-港媽式教仔金句

Definition: A code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong Legislative Council members to refer to a lease condition where the lot owner is required to complete the development within a specified period and obtain an Occupation Permit from the Building Authority. However, it is not to be confused with 'environmental permit'.

Usage: E.g. 劉文君發言後，林筱魯再提醒發言表達專業用語時要考慮公眾能否理解。劉文君說：「頭先官員都有用building covenant㗎！enviromental permit我唔知你哋中文叫做咩嘢。」(After Lau's speech, Lin reminded him to consider whether the public would understand such professional terminology. Lau said, "The officials used building covenant just now! I don't know what you meant by 'environmental permit' in Chinese.")

Synonym: 建築規約

Reference: https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20260211/bkn-20260211164003550-0211_00822_001.html

Definition: A code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to a person's emotional state that can be driven by an atmosphere or a person.

Usage: E.g. 女朋友講完句野搞到我無晒mood (My girlfriend said something which made me lose my mood.)

Synonym: 心情

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/294607/page/3

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term meaning homework, which only Hong Kong local students can understand.

Usage: E.g. Jo jor gong for mei ar? (做左功課未呀？） E.g. Nei mong gong for meh? (你忙功課咩？） E.g. Jo sai d gong for la! (做晒D功課喇！）

Synonym: 功課

Reference: https://hklanguage.home.blog/2019/11/16/the-use-of-transliteration-in-kongish/

Definition: A code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers use to refer to the places Kwun Tong or Kai Tak interchangebly.

Usage: E.g.「約咗男朋友出街，地點係啟德，佢話係6:30 kt等，我6:30到咗，問佢係邊，佢話就到觀塘，我：???唔係6:30啟德等咩？佢話kt係觀塘。」(I arranged to go out with my boyfriend, the place is Kai Tak. He said wait at KT at 6:30, so I arrived at 6:30. Then I asked where he was, he said he was arriving at Kwun Tong. I said, 'What? I thought it was 6:30 at Kai Tak.' He said KT is Kwun Tong.)

Synonym: 觀塘, 啟德

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVsSQu4CEvp/?igsh=ejZ5bzB5NGhjbHpx (use mobile version)