先生
xiānsheng
In Chinese, the abbreviation for 'Mr.' is 先生 (xiānsheng).
The term 先生 is used as a title following a person's surname, behaving much like 'Mr.' does in English. Depending on the specific context, it can also mean 'gentleman' or even 'husband'.
Meaning: abbreviation of mister (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 先生 is a standard way to say 'Mr.', 'gentleman' or 'husband', the specific meaning is determined by the situation in which it is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address someone as 'Mr. [Surname]', place the surname before 先生, such as 王先生 (Mr. Wang).
How do you pronounce it?
xiānsheng
When do people say it?
先生 is a polite way to address a man. However, in modern professional settings, it is often more common to use a person's job title, such as 'Manager', rather than using 先生.
Did you know?
- The term 先生 originally meant 'born first', a description for a teacher or a person of high wisdom rather than a simple title of respect.
- If you are referring to your own husband, calling him 先生 is a common way to speak about him to others, but you would never use it to call his name to his face.
- In many formal business settings, calling a man 先生 can actually feel too distant or even slightly impolite compared to using his specific job title.
Examples in context
- 王先生在办公室。Wáng xiānsheng zài bàngōngshì.Mr. Wang is in the office.
- 张先生是我们的老师。Zhāng xiānsheng shì wǒmen de lǎoshī.Mr. Zhang is our teacher.
- 李先生下午会来。Lǐ xiānsheng xiàwǔ huì lái.Mr. Li will come this afternoon.
Example conversation
Xiaowen introduces a guest to Junjie at the office.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen俊杰，这位是陈先生。Jùnjié, zhè wèi shì Chén xiān sheng.Junjie, this is Mr. Chen.
- 俊杰 Junjie陈先生，您好！Chén xiān sheng, nín hǎo!Hello, Mr. Chen!
- 晓雯 Xiaowen他是我们的新客户。Tā shì wǒ men de xīn kè hù.He is our new client.
- 俊杰 Junjie欢迎您光临。Huān yíng nín guāng lín.Welcome here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mr.” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 先生, CC BY-SA 4.0.
