Japanese, like other languages, uses a broad array of
'titles' for addressing or referring to people with respect. In Japanese, these forms of address follow a person's name in the manner of a
suffix. The most common—and well-known outside Japan—is ''san'', which semantically coincides roughly with the courtesy titles "Mr.", "Mrs.", and "Ms." in English. Unlike in English, in Japanese honorifics may be attached to surnames, first names, and even professional titles. Other common ones include ''sama'', ''sensei'', ''kun'', and ''chan''.
Use
Correct use of titles is considered very important in Japan, as it is just about everywhere else in the world. Omitting a title when addressing or referring to someone is called . Although ''yobisute'' is generally considered bad manners, in Japanese conversations, many non-Japanese (particularly in Japan) experience ''yobisute'' when a Japanese person would probably be addressed more politely.
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Although titles are usually added to names, there are some exceptions. They are not usually used when talking about a family member or another member of one's "in-group" to someone from outside the group. Inside a group such as a company, the members use titles such as ''san'' towards each other. However, when talking to people from outside their company, they do not use the titles when referring to each other. This applies even to superiors. For example, a receptionist, when talking to the company president, will certainly use a title such as ''shachÅ'' or ''Maeda-shachÅ''; however, when referring to the president when talking to outsiders, the same receptionist will simply refer to President Maeda as ''Maeda'', without any title. Honorific titles are also usually dropped when referring to historical figures, although awarded titles, such as military titles, are sometimes used.
Common honorifics
San
is the most common honorific and is a title of respect. It is used for the surnames or given names of both males and females. Although in translation ''san'' is usually rendered as a common courtesy title like “Mr.†or “Ms.â€, unlike these it is never used in self-reference.
''San'' may also be used in combination with nouns describing the addressee or referent other than the person's name; for example, a bookseller might be addressed or referred to as ''honya-san'' ("bookseller" + ''san'') and a butcher, as ''nikuya-san'' ("butcher" + ''san'').
''San'' is also used when talking about companies and other similar entities. For example, the offices or shop of a company called Kojima Denki might be referred to as "Kojima Denki-san" by another nearby company. This may be seen on the small maps often used in phone books and business cards in Japan, where the names of surrounding companies are written using ''san''.
Although, strictly speaking, not an honorific title in this usage, ''san'' is also attached to the names of some kinds of foods; for example, fish used for cooking can be referred to as ''sakana-san''. Likewise, this suffix is sometimes applied to animals—a rabbit might be ''usagi-san''.
In western Japan (
Kansai), particularly in the
Kyoto area, is used instead of ''san''.
Kun
is an informal
honorific primarily used towards males (it is still used towards females, but rarely). It is used by persons of senior status in addressing those of junior status, by males of roughly the same age and status when addressing each other, and by anyone in addressing male children. In business settings, women, particularly young women, may also be addressed as ''kun'' by older males of senior status. It is sometimes used towards male pets as well.
School teachers typically address male students using ''kun'', while female students are addressed as ''san'' or ''chan''. The use of ''kun'' to address male children is similar to the use of ''san'' when addressing adults. In other words, not using ''kun'' would be considered rude in most situations, but, like the rule for using ''san'' in reference to family members, ''kun'' is traditionally not used when addressing or referring to one's own child (unless ''kun'' is part of a nickname: "Akira-kun"—''Akkun'').
In the
Diet of Japan, diet members and ministers are called ''kun'' by the chairpersons. For example,
Shinzo Abe is called "Abe ShinzÅ-kun". The only exception was that when
Takako Doi was the chairperson of the lower house: she used the ''san'' title.
Chan
is a
diminutive suffix. It is an informal version of "san" used to address children and female family members. It may also be used towards animals, lovers, intimate friends, and people whom one has known since childhood. "Chan" continues to be used as a term of endearment, especially for girls, into adulthood. Parents will probably always call their daughters "chan" and their sons "kun," though "chan" can be used towards boys just as easily. Adults may use "chan" as a term of endearment to women with whom they are on close terms.
''Chan'' can be considered a feminine mode of speech in that it is used mainly by, or towards, females. Its pattern of usage is similar to using "dear" when addressing someone in English. Males would not use ''chan'' when addressing other males (other than very young children, or idiomatic cases like ''Shuwa-chan'', described below).
"
Pet names" are often made by attaching ''chan'' to a truncated stem of a name. This implies even greater intimacy than simply attaching it to the full name. So for example, a pet rabbit (''usagi'') might be called ''usa-chan'' rather than ''usagi-chan''. Similarly, ''Chan'' is sometimes used to form pet names for celebrities. For example,
Arnold Schwarzenegger gained the nickname ''Shuwa chan'' in Japanese. Pet-names may also use variations on chan (see "euphonic suffixes", below).
Although traditionally honorifics are not applied to oneself, some young women adopt the affectation of referring to themselves in the third person using ''chan'', a mode of speech normally only found amongst small children. For example, a young woman named ''Maki'' might call herself ''Maki-chan'' rather than using a first person pronoun.
The Japanese media use ''chan'' when mentioning pre-elementary school children and sometimes elementary-school girls.
Senpai and kÅhai
is used to address senior colleagues or mentor figures, e.g. students referring to or addressing more senior students in schools, junior athletics more senior ones in a sports club, or a mentor or more experienced or senior colleague in a business environment. As with English titles such as ''Doctor'', ''senpai'' can be used either by itself as a title, or with a person's name in place of ''san''.
is the reverse of this. It is used to refer to juniors (but not normally address them: kÅhai are normally addressed by name +''kun''; addressing someone directly as ''kÅhai'' would be somewhat rude).
Sensei
is used to refer to or address teachers, practitioners of a profession such as doctors and lawyers, politicians, and other authority figures. It is used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill. For example, Japanese
manga fans refer to manga artists using the term ''sensei'', as in ''Takahashi-sensei'' for manga artist
Rumiko Takahashi; the term is used similarly by fans of other creative professionals such as novelists, musicians, and artists. It is also a common
martial arts title when referring to the instructor.
''Sensei'' can also be used fawningly, as evinced by adherents in addressing or talking about charismatic business, political, and religious leaders (especially unordained ones). Japanese speakers will also use the term sarcastically to ridicule overblown or fawning adulation of such leaders, and the Japanese media frequently invoke it (rendered in
katakana, akin to
scare quotes or
italics in English) to highlight the
megalomania of those who allow themselves to be sycophantically addressed with the term. A further, similar use is to address or refer to someone who acts in a self-important or self-aggrandizing manner.
As with ''senpai'', ''Sensei'' can be used not only as a suffix but a title by itself, translating to "Professor" or "Teacher".
Sama
is the formal version of ''san''. This honorific is used primarily in addressing persons much higher in rank than oneself and in commercial and business settings to address and refer to customers. It also appears in words used to address or speak of persons or objects for which the speaker wishes to show respect or deference, such as ''okyaku-sama'' (customer) or ''Tateishi-sama'' (a
stone idolised as a deity). Additionally, Japanese Christians will refer to God in prayer as ''Kami-sama''. ''-sama'' is regularly used by the press to mention female members of the Imperial Family (as in Masako-sama). People will also affix ''sama'' to the names of personages who have a special talent or are considered particularly attractive, though this usage can also be tongue-in-cheek, exaggerated, or even ironic. Examples include "Tanaka-sama" to refer to a young man named Tanaka who is considered rather handsome by his admirers and the "Leo-Sama" (or "''Reo''-sama") that has become the media's pet name for
Leonardo DiCaprio. Further, ''sama'' can be used to express arrogance (or self-effacing irony), such as in the arrogant male
pronoun ''ore-sama'' ("my esteemed self") for "I". Referring to oneself with ''-sama'' is considered to be highly egotistical.
''Sama'' also follows the addressee's name on postal packages and letters and is frequently seen in business e-mails.
It is worth noting that the ''sama'' appearing in such
set phrases as ''o-machidÅ sama'' ("sorry to keep you waiting"), ''o-tsukare sama'' (an expression of empathy for people who have been working long and hard), and ''go-kuro sama'' (an expression recognizing someone's labors), though written with the same
kanji, is etymologically and semantically distinct from the ''sama'' used as term of address.
In the same way that ''chan'' is a version of ''san'', there is also ''chama'' from ''sama'', typically used for an older person. There is also the much less used "tama", which is the most childish and is usually used by young children for older siblings (like "Onii-tama", which means "big brother"), or someone else they admire.
Shi
is used in formal writing, and sometimes in very formal speech, for referring to a person who is unfamiliar to the speaker, typically a person known through publications whom the speaker has never actually met. For example, the ''shi'' title is common in the speech of newsreaders. It is preferred in legal documents, academic journals, and certain other formal written styles. Once a person's name has been used with ''shi'', the person can be referred to with ''shi'' alone, without the name, as long as there is only one person being referred to.
Other titles
Occupation-related titles
Instead of the above general honorifics, it is fairly common to use the name of the person's job after the name. It is common for sports athletes to be referred to as XXX- rather than XXX-san. The Japanese soccer-player
Robert Cullen is referred to as ''Karen-senshu''. A master carpenter might have the title , meaning "master carpenter", attached to his name, and be referred to as "Suzuki-TÅryÅ" rather than "Suzuki-San". Television lawyer Kazuya Maruyama is referred to by television presenters and in promotional literature as (literally "Maruyama-lawyer"), but would be called ''Maruyama-sensei'' by a private client. A minority of educated Japanese now prefer to address their attorneys as ''XXX-bengoshi'' because the traditional appellation ''XXX-sensei'' is felt to be unduly deferential.
Inside companies, it is also common to refer to people using their company rank, particularly for those of a high rank, such as a company president, , or other titles such as , a department chief, etc.
Honorific job titles
The name of a job may have two versions. For example, "translator" may be or . Job titles ending in , literally "house", usually imply some kind of expertise and, thus, by the rules of modesty in Japanese, they are not usually used for oneself. The plain form with , literally "person", may be used by the person or in plain text, such as a book title. Use of the ''ka'' ending implies respect. Similarly, there are , or "judo experts" in
judo, and
manga authors are referred to as or "manga experts".
In the case of farmers, the old name , literally "one hundred surnames", is now considered offensive (see
kotobagari), and farmers are referred to, and refer to themselves as, , or "farming experts".
Honorific job titles such as ''sensei'', which is applied to teachers, doctors, and lawyers, also have plain forms. For example, in plain language, a teacher is a , a doctor is an or , and a lawyer is . The polite versions are used when addressing or talking about the person, but the plain forms are used when referring to their profession.
Titles for criminals and the accused
Convicted criminals were once referred to without any title, though today with the title for
political correctness. For example, ''
Matsumoto-hikoku'' of
Aum Shinrikyo. Suspects awaiting trial are referred to by the title for the same reason.
These titles were made for political correctness, however, they have become derogatory as time passes. When
GorÅ Inagaki was arrested for a traffic accident in 2001, some media referred him with the new-made title , originating from the English word ''member'', to avoid use of . This title, however, was criticized as an unnatural term and became derogatory almost instantly.
The title ''jukeisha'' (å—刑者) indicates a criminal serving a sentence.
Titles for companies
As mentioned above, companies often refer to each other's offices informally using the company name plus ''san''. In correspondence, the title is added to the company name when the letter is not addressed to a specific person in the company. Furthermore, it is considered highly important to mention the status of the company, either
incorporated, , often abbreviated with the kanji in brackets, or
limited, , often abbreviated with the kanji in brackets either before or after the company's name.
There are also separate words for "our company", , (which literally means "clumsy/poor company") and "your company", in writing or in speech (these last two literally mean "honoured company"). ''Heisha'' or ''onsha'' can also be replaced with the more neutral (literally "this company") or .
For organizations that provide professional services, such as law or accounting firms, ''sha'' may be substituted by , meaning "office", in the above constructs.
See also
Japanese etiquette.
Dono/tono
''
Dono'' and ''tono'' (both written 殿) roughly mean "lord". This title is no longer used in daily conversation, though it is still used in some types of written business correspondence. It is also seen on drug prescriptions, certificates and awards, and in written correspondence in
tea ceremonies.
Note: Fans of anime and manga may notice that the use of this honorific is not uncommon, in those media, especially in period works. It often comes up in two forms:
# 'submissive' -- Using its "lord" or "master" roots, this form of dono is often considered to show slightly more respect than sama and more than san.
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# 'equal' -- This form of dono is used by a powerful/important person to address another powerful/important person with a great deal of respect without elevating the addressee above the addresser.
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Ue
literally means "above" and, appropriately, denotes a high level of respect. While its use is no longer very common, it is still seen in constructions like and , reverent terms for one's own, or someone else's, father and mother, respectively. Receipts that do not require specification of the payer's name are often filled-in with ''ue-sama''.
Iemoto
is an even more polite version of ''sensei'' used for the highest ranking person heading a school or group in traditional art forms such as calligraphy, flower arrangement or tea ceremony. It is not authentically used with the martial arts.
Royal and Official Titles
★ '' is affixed to the end of a royal title, with a meaning similar to "Majesty". For example, means "His Majesty, the Emperor" and means "Her Majesty, the Queen" (e.g. of Denmark). ''Heika'' by itself can also be used as a direct term of address, similar to "Your Majesty".
★ '' is affixed to the end of a royal title, with a meaning similar to "Royal Highness" or "Majesty". For example "Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of the Kingdom of Sweden".
★ '' means "Your Excellency" and is used for ambassadors and heads of state.
★ '' is used as an honorific if one is addressing a princess. Hime may also be used as a direct address, akin to calling a person simply "Princess". To convey even greater respect, the honorific ''sama'' will be added to both the title and the honorific. Using the "o" prefix honorific ("Ohimesama") conveys the greatest amount of respect.
Martial Arts Titles
Martial artists often address their teachers as ''
sensei''. Junior and senior students are organized via a
senpai/kohai system.
Various titles are also employed to refer to senior instructors. Which titles are used depends on the particular licensing organization.
ShÅgÅ
are
martial arts titles developed by the
Dai Nippon Butoku Kai.
[4]
The Kokusai Budoin, International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF) is currently awarding these titles.
[5]
The titles are mainly awarded in arts that employ traditional weapons, e.g.,
Kendo,
KyūdŠand
IaidÅ.
★ instructor
★ refers to an advanced teacher.
★ refers to a senior expert considered a "teacher of teachers." This title is used by many different arts for the top few instructors of that style, and is sometimes translated "master."
★ grandmaster, awarded by a special board of examiners. ''See also
Meijin''.
Other titles
★
Shihan. Various martial arts organisations have different requirements for the usage of the title
★ , which in everyday Japanese can be a more modest synonym for ''sensei'', is sometimes used to indicate an instructor.
★ is another title used for martial arts instructors.
Euphonic suffixes and wordplay
In informal speech some Japanese people may use contrived suffixes in place of honorific titles. This is essentially a form of wordplay, with suffixes being chosen for their pleasant sound, or for the friendly or scornful connotations of the suffix. Although the range of such suffixes that might be coined is limitless, some have gained such widespread usage that the boundary between an honorific title and mere affectation has become a little blurred. Examples of such suffixes include variations on ''chan'' (see below), ''nobaka'' (which has both positive and negative connotations), ''bee'' (scornful) and ''rin'' (friendly).
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Note that unlike a proper honorific, use of such suffixes is governed largely by how they sound in conjunction with a particular name, and on the effect the speaker is trying to achieve.
Variations on Chan
Playful variations of ''chan'' include and . ''Chin'' and ''tan'' are mispronunciations stereotypically attributed to small children and are thus perceived as
baby talk, hence their association with cuteness — though 'chin' can also be used to give a character a slightly delinquent, psychotic feel — especially if the character speaking is older, and still using it to address people they nominally respect. ''Tan'', on the other hand, is popularly used in the names of
moé anthropomorphisms, artistic memes on Japanese
imageboards typified by a female character, usually depicted in
cosplay, representing a non-human being, inanimate object, concept, or phenomenon, or a popular consumer product. Well-known examples include
OS-tan (representing computer operating systems) and Bisuke-tan (representing
KFC biscuits). Some of these characters, such as
BinchÅ-tan, are real corporate mascots.
References
1.
2. In the anime Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, the character Mihoshi is addressed by her computer unit as "Mihoshi-dono. Likewise, when used by Himura Kenshin in the anime ''Rurouni Kenshin'' when referring to women it is intended to show great humility and respect for the addressee.
3. In the anime Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, the characters Seto-sama and Washu address the main character Tenchi as "Tenchi-dono" out of respect for his great abilities. A more blatant usage is in the anime Naruto when Sarutobi addresses Orochimaru disguised as the Fourth Kazekage as "Kazekage-dono" out of equality of both being Kage-level Ninja.
4.
5.
6. ''Rin'' is thought to have been inspired by European girl's names like ''Katherine'' and ''Marilyn''; see http://kotobakai.seesaa.net/article/8173861.html
★ Poser, William J. (1990) Evidence for Foot Structure in Japanese. Language 66.1.78-105. Reprinted in Natsuko Tsujimura (ed.) Japanese Linguistics: Critical Concepts in Linguistics. Oxford: Routledge, 2005, pp. 159-190.
See also
★
Japanese honorifics
★
Chinese titles
★
Japanese pronouns
External links
★
How to use Japanese suffixes
★
Some notes on Japanese names and suffixes
★
Japanese Suffixes: Clues to Locations
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Japanese Suffix Flashcards
★
Teach Yourself Japanese
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