aa3 taai3阿太

Jyutpingaa3 taai3

Yalea taai

Definition

An address to a middle-aged married woman; madam.

colloquialpeople

How it's used

Carries a polite but slightly distant tone, often used by service staff or strangers when addressing a woman who appears to be middle-aged or older. It functions similarly to the English term madam, but it specifically implies a married status or a more mature social standing. Avoid using it for younger women, as it can sound like you are calling them old.

Measure word

wai6位waih

Examples

aa3阿taai2太，nei5你go3個sau2手doi2袋dit3跌zo2咗喺hai2地dei6下haa6呀。

Madam, your handbag fell on the floor.

ceng2請man6問aa3阿taai2太soeng2想maai5買bin1邊fun2款saang1生gwo2果le1呢？

Excuse me, which type of fruit would you like to buy, madam?

Common phrases

fut3闊taai2太

wealthy married woman

Common mistake

Using this to address a young woman is considered rude and may be taken as an insult to her age. If you are unsure of someone's age or marital status, stick to neutral terms like 小姐.