aa3 saang1亞生亚生

Jyutpingaa3 saang1

Yalea sāang

Definition

A polite form of address for a man, equivalent to "sir" or "Mr.".

colloquialpeople

How it's used

This is a casual way to address a man, often used by service staff or when speaking to someone whose name you know but want to sound polite yet approachable. It is formed by adding 亞 before the surname, which is a common way to nickname people in Cantonese. Unlike formal titles, it carries a sense of familiarity and is rarely used in strictly professional or high-level business settings.

Examples

aa3亞saang1生，nei5你wan2搵bin1邊wai2位aa4呀？

Sir, who are you looking for?

can4陳aa3亞saang1生，maa4麻faan4煩nei5你cim1簽go3個ming4名。

Mr. Chan, please sign here.

Related words

Common phrases

can4陳aa3亞saang1生

Mr. Chan

lei2李aa3亞saang1生

Mr. Lee

Common mistake

Do not use this for someone you need to show high respect to, such as a boss or a client in a formal meeting, as it can sound overly informal or even slightly patronizing. Stick to standard titles like 先生 if you are unsure about the level of formality required.