Guide

Japanese honorifics: san, kun, chan, sama and more

What -san, -kun, -chan, -sama, -sensei and -senpai mean, when to use each one, and when leaving one off is rude.

In Japanese, you rarely say someone's name on its own. You add a suffix that shows how you relate to them: polite distance, affection, respect. Choosing the right one matters more than getting their name exactly right.

-san

The all-purpose polite suffix, like Mr. or Ms. but used with given names and family names alike. Tanaka-san is right for a colleague, a neighbour or a stranger. If in doubt, use -san. Never use it for yourself.

-kun

Used for boys and younger men, or by seniors for juniors at school and work. It sounds friendly and a little familiar. Teachers and bosses may use -kun for young women too.

-chan

Affectionate and cute: for small children, close friends, grandparents, pets and loved ones. Using it with someone you do not know well can sound condescending.

-sama

Very respectful. Shops and companies use it for customers (okyaku-sama), and it appears on letters and parcels. Used casually, it can sound sarcastic or exaggerated.

-sensei and -senpai

Sensei is for teachers, doctors, lawyers, writers and artists, anyone whose expertise you respect. Senpai is for someone ahead of you at school, a club or work. Both can stand alone in place of the name.

No honorific at all

Calling someone by their bare name, yobisute, is normal between close friends, family and partners. From a stranger it is rude. In anime it often marks a turning point: the moment one character starts using another's given name without a suffix.

Reviewed by

[Reviewer name], native Japanese speaker. Readings and meanings checked [date].

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