sau6 san4壽辰寿辰
Jyutpingsau6 san4
Yalesauh sàhn
Definition
The birthday of a respected or elderly person.
neutralpeopletime
How it's used
This term is reserved for the birthdays of elders or highly respected individuals, carrying a sense of formality and reverence. It is rarely used for peers or children, where standard terms like 生日 are preferred. Using it for someone young or casual can sound overly dramatic or sarcastic.
Examples
Tomorrow is my grandfather's 80th birthday.
Do you know which elder's birthday is coming up soon?
Related words
Common phrases
to celebrate a birthday
to wish someone a happy birthday
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use it for their own birthday or a friend's birthday, which sounds unnatural and pretentious. Stick to 生日 for anyone other than an elder or a dignitary.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
