Cantonese is a complex language with diverse influences incorporated into its vocabulary. Want to test your knowledge of Hong Kong slang? Check out our curated Hong Kong Urban Dictionary!
Behind the endless bright city lights, the abundant towering buildings, and the surreal Blade Runner-esque landscape of Hong Kong lies many niche destinations including independent local bookstores, anime wonderlands, and underground tattoo parlours. We’ve curated some of the most commonly used Hong Kong slang in our very own Urban Dictionary to help you understand a bit more about local culture.
Hong Kong slang words you should know
Hong Kong slang: A tapestry of influences
Hong Kong has a complex history. Originally a no-name coastal region in China, it was propelled into fame as a British colony between the 1840s and 1990s. What’s more, Hong Kong was also briefly under Japanese control during World War II. These heavy influences from both of its colonisers and China make Hong Kong truly a melting pot of the East and West.
Furthermore, since the handover, many Hong Kong families have immigrated overseas, bringing even more western influence into the mix. In the 90s and 2000s, Japanese and Taiwanese popular culture dominated the streets; teens and young adults began dressing in bright and bold Japanese streetwear. Korean culture has also become more prominent over the past decade with the rise of K-pop, K-drama, K-cinema, K-beauty, and K-fashion. Given this vibrant and diverse cultural background, much of Hong Kong slang has emerged as a unique blend of Cantonese, English, and other languages. You’ll get what we mean when you take a look at the examples below!
1. Gwai lo / jai / po / mui (鬼佬 / 仔 / 婆 / 妹)
If you’re a Caucasian in Hong Kong, you’ve probably been referred to as one of these gwai terms before. Gwai (鬼) is “ghost” in Cantonese, while the four common suffixes include lo (佬) for “man”; jai (仔) for “boy”; po (婆) for “woman”; and mui (妹) for “girl”. The most common explanation for this Hong Kong slang is that locals likened the light and pale skin tone of European settlers to the appearance of ghosts, hence the prefix. We’d advise you to take this Hong Kong slang not too seriously!
2. Buddha-style (佛系)
“Buddha-style”, or fat haai, is a prime example of the constantly evolving nature of Hong Kong slang. Despite being a relatively latecomer to the arena, emerging in the late 2010s, you’ll hear “Buddha-style” being exchanged in conversation and social media comment sections. Fat haai is usually used as a compliment to describe someone with immensely high emotional control (zen like a Buddha!) when faced with uncertainties and annoyances in life.
3. Ga yau (加油)
This is arguably the OG Hong Kong slang. Ga yau, which directly translates to “add oil”, is a motivational term commonly used by all Hongkongers. In fact, it’s now widely employed in Mandarin Chinese, too. And if you know your Japanese, this Hong Kong slang is similar to 頑張って (gan-ba-te). So, now you know what your local friend means when they send you a text that simply reads “add oil”, followed by the flexed biceps emoji!
4. Mo la la (無啦啦)
This Hong Kong slang perfectly captures the phonetic brilliance of Cantonese. Despite being a three-character term, only the first actually holds any meaning on its own. Mo means “nothing” in Cantonese. Yet, by adding two meaningless sounds, la la, to it, we somehow arrive at a slang that means “out of the blue”. A truly out of the blue phenomenon if you ask us.
5. Hea
This Hong Kong slang can mean multiple things, depending on how you use it in a sentence. On its own, hea means to laze around, procrastinate, or waste time doing nothing at all. The term carries a slightly negative connotation when used as an adjective. To say someone is ho hea (好 hea) means they’re unproductive and a lousy worker. However, if you use the term as a verb, hea carries a relatively positive connotation. For instance, you’d say to an overworked friend, “it’s time to hea ha (hea 吓)”, which basically translates to “it’s time to relax”.
6. Cim Sui (潛水)
Cim sui is Cantonese for “diving”, but this term carries a secondary meaning when used as slang. To say someone has cim sui means they’ve disappeared from their social radar for a while (a close English equivalent is “going MIA”). This could be someone too busy to socialise or is simply taking a break to recharge their social battery. While this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve gone on an underwater adventure in a tropical paradise, it certainly can!
7. Da tsim (打尖)
This one is a head-scratcher. While all Hongkongers will know what da tsim means, not all of us can tell you where on Earth we pulled the term from. Da is “to hit” and tsim is “a pointed tip”, yet they come together to mean “to cut the queue”. Our best guess is that someone cutting a queue may try to “beat” the first person in line (at the “tip”), so as to get to the front of the line themselves.
8. Fuk (伏)
Fuk is another relatively recent Hong Kong slang to grace our Urban Dictionary, having begun appearing in daily convo only since the early 2010s. And you’d never guess where this came from. When rickrolling first took over this side of the Internet, the slang zung fuk (中伏) was born. Essentially, this Cantonese slang means being trolled or getting misled. For instance, if you went to an overrated restaurant that’s too expensive for what it’s worth, you’d say you have zung fuk (verb), or the restaurant itself was fuk (adjective).
9. Man cing (文青)
Man cing is a gender-neutral term that roughly translates to “literati” or “young intellect”, and is often interpreted as the equivalent of the Asian hipster . The term was popularised in Taiwan and gained traction in Hong Kong in the late 2000s. The stereotypical man cing individual enjoys going to artistic events, loves photography, spends vast amounts of time at cafes, styles themselves in neutral-coloured linen wear, and likes to read. However, there are disputes within this group of individuals. Those who believe they are genuinely man cing usually scorn at those who only pose on social media as a modern intellectual – sitting in a coffee shop, wearing linen, and holding a book they never actually read. These “fake” man cing are referred to as ngai man cing (偽文青).
10. Caau yau yu (炒魷魚)
While caau yau yu (pronounced like “chow yau yuu”) directly translates to “fried squid”, this Hong Kong slang has nothing to do with food. In fact, it means “being fired” and has the same energy as the English word “sack”. In the past, labourers were often offered housing and catering as part of their employment deal. So, when they were fired, they’d have to roll up their duvet and personal belongings, like you’d roll up a dried squid sheet when making this iconic Hong Kong snack, hence the slang.
11. Sao pei (收皮)
Now we’re venturing into potty mouth territory. Sau pei directly translates to “collect skin” and means “shut the f*** up”. However, you can convey different levels of aggression depending on how you use this Hong Kong slang. For instance, a casual sau pei la nei (收皮啦你) being thrown out when your friend voices an incredulous thought is usually interpreted as playful rather than aggressive – think of it as killing their vibe. That being said, the same phrase used in a heated argument could escalate the situation faster than you think, so use it with caution!
12. Fong sim (放閃)
This one’s a thinker. Despite translating as “open flashes” or “letting our flashes”, fong sim refers to couples who overly display their relationship in public and online. For instance, if a couple posts a picture of them kissing on Instagram, it might attract comments saying they’re fong sim. In other words, bombarding the rest of the world with the shine and sparkle of their love.
13. MK
MK is an abbreviation of Mong Kok, as well as the subculture that has evolved from the busy neighbourhood. Originating in the 90s and 2000s during Hong Kong’s J-pop craze, Mong Kok was the go-to area for local high school students to meet with friends, eat, and shop for cheap and fashionable merch. The stereotypical “MK jai” or “MK mui” wears a mixture of bold (and often clashing) streetwear, has dyed blonde hair, and dons punk silver jewellery. Despite its common usage up until the early 2000s, MK is now considered a somewhat old-fashioned slang and is only used by locals when describing things or people that are trashy and outdated.
[This article was originally published in March 2018 and updated in 2024 by Celia Lee.]
