sau2叟
Jyutpingsau2
Yalesáu
Definition
An old man, elder, or old gentleman.
writtenpeople
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively found in literary contexts or set idioms rather than casual speech. It carries a formal, slightly archaic tone that evokes respect for an elderly person. You will rarely hear it used in daily conversation to refer to a grandfather or an old man, where terms like 阿伯 or 老人家 are standard.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to address an elderly person directly, as it would sound extremely unnatural and pretentious. It is a descriptive term for writing or formal speech, not a form of address.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
