阿哥 is a Manchu loanword (Manchu: age) used during the Qing dynasty as an official title for the emperor's sons before they received princely titles, e.g.
四阿哥 (the Fourth Prince) for the future Yongzheng Emperor. Hugely popular in Qing-court TV dramas (《
甄嬛传》, 《
步步惊心》). Modernly,
阿哥 also doubles as a casual term of address among ethnic minorities in southwest China.
