aa3 seng1阿聲啊声
Jyutpingaa3 seng1
Yalea sēng
Definition
Mister; a polite way to address a man.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Using 阿 before a name or a character from a name is a standard way to show familiarity and friendliness in Cantonese. It is much less formal than using 先生 and implies you have a personal relationship with the person. While it can be used for both genders, it is most commonly applied to men or as a casual way to refer to someone by their given name.
Examples
Is Mr. Sing going to work today?
I saw Mr. Sing buying things downstairs earlier.
Related words
Common phrases
Brother Sing
Common mistake
Do not use this to address someone you have just met or a superior in a professional setting, as it can sound overly casual or even rude. Stick to 先生 or 女士 for formal introductions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
