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In Japan, when talking about other people, one uses honorific titles after their name. The most common title is san (さん). It means all of "Mr", "Mrs", "Miss", and "Ms." Mr Tanaka is referred to as Tanaka-san, as is Mrs Tanaka, and their unmarried daughter.
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San さん
San is probably the first honorific you’ll learn how to use and it is one of the most commonly used. You can use it with anyone you don’t really know, regardless of their gender, age or social status. It’s a neutral term, which most closely resembles “Sir/Madam“. This suffix is also added to company or business names, like a pastry shop (パン屋さん, pan-ya-san).
Chan ちゃん
This is the most familiar honorific and is supposedly derived from children who couldn’t say “San” properly. This small mistake was considered cute and stayed in the language. It is used to refer to young women you’re close with, children, babies, a grandmother, or even an animalyou’re especially fond of. It can also be used in a couple or when talking about someone you like a lot. You therefore need to be careful who you use it with and avoid using it for people you’re not so close to.
Kun くん
This is a suffix seen as masculine, used for teenagers and young men. Sometimes, it is used to refer to young women, but only in very specific situations. It’s usually used by people seen as superior, since this honorific is mostly used when one person of higher status is talking to a younger person. The politeness level is low and its kanji is the same as the one used for kimi (君), which is an informal way of saying “you”. Kun can be used when talking with a classmate, a younger brother or y...
If you’re familiar with Japanese culture, you already know that people rarely use another person’s first name. Therefore, Japanese honorifics are tied to last names. It’s very rude to simply call someone by their last name. Sometimes the honorific will be attached to the person’s first name for other reasons, such as when two people are especially ...
Note that you shouldn’t use these honorifics when: 1. talking about yourself; 2. when the person you’re talking to asks you not to use them (呼び捨てyobisute, which literally means “call” and “throw away”); 3. when you are talking with someone from your inner circle (内 uchi), like your parents, grandparents, etc.; or 4. when you are talking about someo...
And there you have it! The basic rules of using Japanese honorifics. Their usage is much more complex and can be difficult to interpret at times. But as a foreigner, people will cut you some slack if you mess up. That being said, if you work in Japan, you may want to be extra careful when using these honorifics. Don’t hesitate to ask the person dir...
Mar 12, 2024 · San is one of the popular Japanese honorific titles and it’s the equivalent of Mr. or Mrs. in the English language. San is also a gender-neutral term and hence can also be used either for men or women.
Jul 9, 2020 · The easiest translation for the meaning of ‘san’ （さん） in Japanese is ‘Mr.’ or ‘Mrs.’. This is a gender-neutral term for either male or female and the most common respectful title to add after someone’s first or last name. Though, in Japanese ‘San’ is used in more situations than the equivalent English words are used.
Nov 14, 2011 · Honorifics are gender neutral, but some are used more for one gender than the other. Kun, for example, is used more for males while chan is for females. Honorifics are generally required when referring to someone, but sometimes they must be dropped altogether. It’s pretty confusing.
Apr 18, 2024 · What will you do if you're chosen to be a Student Body vice president but the president identity is unknown? Well, everything is gonna be okay, if only your high school is not full of rich, smart, yet weird-evil people. Original Webtoon Official Translations: English (Pre-serialization), English, T.Chinese, Thai, S.Chinese
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A commoner compared to her peers, Chiara’s first day is full of surprises. But the real shock comes when she ends up being chosen as the only "public" member of a private group dedicated to serving justice for the student body.
