Hong Kong Code-mixing Dictionary

Definition: Often pronounced as 'ha-lo', this is a code-mixing term that native Hong Kongers often use to greet somebody instead of '你好', which sounds too formal sometimes.

Usage: E.g. Ha-lo，我叫Peter。你叫咩名？

Synonym: 哈佬

Definition: Derived from 'monitor', this is a highly efficient use of one's eyes to keep track of the progress of somebody or something. Sometimes, even without the use of one's eyes.

Usage: E.g. 喂，我咪喺度做緊野囉。你唔洗成日喺度mon住我嘛！ E.g. 你：喂，大佬。你唔洗成日打電話黎mon住我嘛？！！對方：大佬？！你邊隻眼見到我mon住你呀？！！ E.g. Ｄ股市跳得咁勁要成日搵人mon住先得架。

Definition: Often pronounced as 'meemo', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers use to refer to memo paper.

Usage: E.g. 喂，可唔可以幫我抄D野落張meemo到？

Reference: https://www.hk01.com/開罐/633876/港式英語-19個英文字港人常讀錯-釘橋-cam錢-janet讀到似中文

Definition: A Kongish code-mixing term that local Hong Kongers use to refer to something of the best quality.

Usage: E.g. 2000FUN討論區是香港最「Goodest」。

Synonym: 最好，best

Reference: https://evchk.fandom.com/zh/wiki/Goodest

Definition: Often pronounced as '波士', this is a more polite sounding code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to '老闆', especially when working in a corporate company.

Usage: E.g. 做波士就好啦。我地呢班打工仔一世做奴隸。

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

Definition: Short for 'job description', this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kong HR departments like to use to refer to the piece of text that describes the job nature and responsibilities of a position in a company, which may be long or short depending on how much they want an applicant to know about the job.

Usage: E.g. 又話會send份JD比我睇？你send左去邊度？(I thought you were going to send me the JD to have a look? Where did you send it to?)

Synonym: 工作內容

Reference: https://english.cool/job-description/

Definition: An a lot more gentle and caring way of telling someone to take care of themselves compared to the Cantonese equivalent. Explanation: 你自己照顧自己—＞以後你自己搞掂喇—＞你自己食自己—＞慘慘豬（＠Ｖ＠）

Usage: E.g. 媽咪要去旅行喇。你自己take care喇。 E.g. 以後take care喇。Sayorara.

Definition: Often pronounced with a '屎' (faeces) at the end of the word, this is a code-mixing term that Hong Kongers often use to refer to having the ability to recognise something good. ('有品味')

Usage: E.g. 哇，你識揀呢件衫，真係好有taste呀！

Synonym: 品味

Reference: http://www.cmi.hku.hk/Ref/Article/article02/01.html

Definition: A code-mixing term used by local Hong Kong students to refer to the DIY handicrafts that can be easily made by anyone, even though such crafts do require creativity to be unique enough like the fine arts sometimes.

Usage: E.g. A: 請問你地啲手工藝係咪真係幫到人舒緩壓力？你地係咪讀心理學架？B: 吓？我都想。其實我地都係偏向arts架。(A: May I ask whether your handicrafts really help people to relieve their stress? Do you study psychology? B: What? I wish I do. Actually, we lean more towards the arts.)

Synonym: 美術, 勞作

Definition: Originated from the olden days where the upper class loved to wear old sheepskin of high quality, this is a Kongish code-mixing term used by Hong Kongers to describe someone who has low social status and tries to mimick the upper class by wearing cheap quality clothing that matches the appearance of expensive clothing. ie. The white colour and look of fresh carrot skin resembles the look of old sheepskin.

Usage: E.g. You think you are so high class? What kind of fresh carrot skin are you?

Synonym: 新鮮蘿蔔皮

Reference: https://voltra.academy/blog/canton2