Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: A code-mixing term used by westernised Hong Kongers to refer to going to bars and clubs because they find the Cantonese equivalent terms a lot more suitable for a mature audience.

Usage: E.g. A: 去唔去clubbing呀？B: 你指係邊啲？A: 緊唔係夜總會啦！(A: Do you want to go clubbing? B: Which type are you referring to? A: Of course not nightclubs!)

Synonym: 夜店，夜總會

Reference: https://jyutdictionary.com/dictionary/entry/夜總會

Definition: Pronounced as 'lig', this is a code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers to refer to computer lag.

Usage: E.g. 部機好似唔夠RAM，好lag機呀。

Definition: A code-mixing term used by overseas educated Hong Kongers to refer to a place to stay or live, which they believe should be provided by companies or schools that are accommodating.

Usage: E.g. 個人建議你有得報學校accommodation就報左先。(Personally, I suggest that you should apply for the school's accommodation if you can.) E.g. 你公司幫你搵咩accommodation？(What accommodation does your company provide?)

Synonym: 住宿

Reference: https://lihkg.com/thread/3555364/page/32

Definition: A shortened code-mixing term that refers to 'dancing society'.

Usage: E.g. 同學：你參加左咩so呀？你：dan so囉。內地學生：什麼？你：唔好意思。係dancing society呀。

Synonym: 跳舞學會

Definition: (textspeak) A Kongish code-mixing term transliterated from ‘咗’, which is equivalent to the ‘-ed’ particle for past tense in English.

Usage: E.g. Jo jor gong for mei ar? (做咗功課未呀？） E.g. Sik jor farn mei ar? (食咗飯未呀？）

Synonym: 咗

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 marking something in order to show that it is chosen or correct.

Usage: E.g. 快D tick點心紙啦。我好餓呀。(Tick the dim sum order form quickly. I'm so hungry.)

Synonym: 剔

Reference: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DWL_RQQysfH/ (use mobile version)

Definition: A more polite way of telling somebody to shut up or '收皮' in Cantonese, which means to pack their things up and leave. (Also see 'collect skin')

Usage: E.g. Off啦你，成日咁多野講。E.g. Off啦你，成日搞搞陣冇幫襯。

Reference: https://zolimacitymag.com/pop-cantonese-收皮-collect-skin/

Definition: A code-mixing term that working class Hong Kongers love to use to refer to a programmer or developer especially if they are one themselves because it makes them sound like a profession.

Usage: E.g. A: 你做咩IT行業? 寫program嗰D? B: 唔係。我係engineer。(What kind of IT industry are you from? Are you a programmer? B: No, I am an engineer.)

Synonym: 工程師

Reference: https://tecky.io/zh_Hant/blog/Programmer-分多少種-2022-23/

Definition: Known as Kongish, this is a code-mixing phrase used by native Hong Kongers to describe someone who eats so much, which is similar to 'eats like a pig' in English. (為死貓)

Usage: E.g. You eat 5 meals a day? What a gluttonous cat!

Synonym: 為食貓

Reference: https://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/48371

Definition: Derived from ‘笑死’ (laugh die), this is a Kongish code-mixing term used by native Hong Kongers on the internet when they want to laugh out loud, just like LOL in English.

Usage: E.g. This comedy movie was so funny! Siu4!

Reference: https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/things-to-do/cantonese-internet-and-texting-slang-to-use-right-now