Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

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

Definition: A term that seems to originate from the English culture and can hardly be replaced by the Cantonese equivalent term '常識'.

Usage: E.g. 喂，你咁快就落搭，有冇common sense架？ E.g. 一睇就知係搵笨啦，你有冇common sense架？ E.g. 你好似有常識，不過冇common sense。

Synonym: 常識

Reference: https://www.gushiciku.cn/dl/0pydp/zh-hk

Definition: An Englishised code-mixing phrase used by westernised Hong Kongers to describe having an overly powerful ability to do something, such as winning a game.

Usage: E.g. I can't believe you are winning every game! Are you bending machine?!

Synonym: 屈機

Reference: https://www.localiiz.com/post/culture-local-stories-guide-hong-kong-cantonese-slang-internet

Definition: A code-mixing term used by working class Hong Kongers to refer to suggesting many ideas for a topic or activity very quickly.

Usage: E.g. 大家一齊brainstorm吓產品既idea。

Reference: https://www.story001.com/post-196.html

Definition: A code-mixing term that refers to the part of the song that is repeated several times.

Usage: E.g. 老師：今次唱得唔錯。不過我地再黎多次個chorus呀，唔該。 E.g. 老師：我地一齊再唱多次段副歌！學生：副歌？老師，你係邊到黎架？

Synonym: 副歌

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 that working class Hong Kongers have unconsciously adopted to refer to a workplace because they have used Microsoft Office a bit too much growing up for doing homework and assignments.

Usage: E.g. 聽日要返office？唔係打八號風球咩？！(We need to go to office tomorrow? Isn't it gonna be typhoon 8?!)

Synonym: 辦公室

Reference: https://www.jobmarket.com.hk/m/Bastille/返Shift網民大呻轉返Office工仲辛苦：朝九晚六先係真地獄？

Definition: (textspeak) Known as Martian language, this is a code-mixing phrase used by Hong Kong local students when they want to ask what another person is doing.

Usage: E.g. nei joe mud? (What are you doing?)

Synonym: 你做乜?

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrQohDNJ9Gp/?img_index=3 (use mobile version)

Definition: A code-mixing term that Hong Kongers like to use instead of '辦公室'.

Usage: E.g. 聽日返office定係work from home呀？

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxrKXQowtvk

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