aa3 se4阿蛇啊蛇

Jyutpingaa3 se4

Yalea sèh

Definition

Slang term for a police officer or a male teacher.

slangpolice officer
slangmale teacher

colloquialpeopleslang

How it's used

Derived from the English word "sir," this term is a classic example of Cantonese phonetic borrowing. It is used as a direct address for male police officers, functioning similarly to "officer" in English. While it is widely understood and used in daily life, it carries a slightly informal or streetwise tone compared to the more formal 警察.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

aa3阿se4蛇，cin4前min6面faat3發sang1生zo2咗me1咩si6事aa4呀？

Officer, what happened up ahead?

nei5你m4唔hou2好lyun6亂lai4嚟，aa3阿se4蛇hai2喺dou6度tai2睇zyu6住㗎。

Don't mess around, the police officer is watching.

Common phrases

giu3叫aa3阿se4蛇

to call an officer

gin3見dou2到aa3阿se4蛇

to see a police officer

Common mistake

Do not use this term for female officers, as it is gendered. It is also strictly for police, so using it for other authority figures like teachers or bosses can sound confusing or sarcastic.