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Japanese Honorifics Guide

When to use san, kun, chan, sama, sensei and more - complete reference guide.

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What are Japanese Honorifics?

Japanese honorifics (敬称, keishō) are suffixes added to a person's name that express the speaker's relationship to that person. Using the wrong honorific can come across as rude or overly familiar. In Japan, you generally never use honorifics with your own name - only with other people's names.

～san

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Common Any

✅ When to use:

Used with almost everyone - coworkers, strangers, adults. Safe default.

❌ When NOT to use:

Don't use with close friends, children (too formal), or in very casual settings

田中さん (Tanaka-san) Mr./Ms. Tanaka

💡 Most versatile honorific. Use when in doubt.

～kun

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Casual Male (usually)

✅ When to use:

Superiors to younger male subordinates, teachers to male students, among close male friends

❌ When NOT to use:

Avoid using with superiors or older people; rarely used by peers to each other

山田くん (Yamada-kun) Yamada (young male subordinate)

💡 Common in schools and workplaces. Can sound condescending if misused.

～chan

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Casual Female / Children / Cute

✅ When to use:

Close female friends, young children, pet names for loved ones

❌ When NOT to use:

Never in formal/business settings; inappropriate for seniors or strangers

さくらちゃん (Sakura-chan) Little Sakura (affectionate)

💡 Very endearing and affectionate. Reflects close relationship.

～sama

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Formal Any

✅ When to use:

Customers (お客様), very important guests, very formal letters, gods/royalty

❌ When NOT to use:

Don't use in daily conversation - too formal and can feel sarcastic if overused

お客様 (o-kyaku-sama) Valued customer / esteemed guest

💡 Highest of the common honorifics. Used in shops: "Thank you, honored guest"

～dono

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Formal Any

✅ When to use:

Official documents, certificates, formal letters - archaic but still on awards/certificates

❌ When NOT to use:

Very old-fashioned in speech; some feel it implies superiority over the recipient

田中一郎殿 (Tanaka Ichiro-dono) To: Tanaka Ichiro (formal document)

💡 Often seen on 賞状 (awards/certificates). Avoided in modern business emails.

～sensei

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Professional Any

✅ When to use:

Teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, manga artists - anyone with professional expertise

❌ When NOT to use:

Don't use for yourself (extremely impolite to call yourself sensei)

山本先生 (Yamamoto-sensei) Teacher/Dr. Yamamoto

💡 Literally means "one who came before." Shows respect for expertise.

～shi

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Professional Any (usually male)

✅ When to use:

Formal written documents, newspaper articles, official reports about someone

❌ When NOT to use:

Rarely used in speech - sounds very stiff and journalist-like

鈴木氏 (Suzuki-shi) Mr./Ms. Suzuki (formal article)

💡 Commonly seen in news articles and formal written documents.

～kun

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Professional Any (in writing)

✅ When to use:

Parliament/Diet speeches (議員名), formal documents referring to young colleagues

❌ When NOT to use:

Confusingly the same reading as くん - this kanji form is for more formal contexts

議員君 (giin-kun) Honorable Diet member

💡 Distinct from the casual くん. Seen in parliamentary settings.

～o-

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Prefix Any

✅ When to use:

Added to nouns to make them polite/beautiful. お名前 (o-namae = your name), お茶 (o-cha = tea)

❌ When NOT to use:

Don't add お to everything - Chinese-origin words take ご instead; some words just don't take it

お名前・お仕事・お茶 Your name / Your job / Tea (polite)

💡 Used for Japanese-origin (和語) words. Adds elegance and politeness.

～go-

● ● ● ● ●

Formality

Prefix Any

✅ When to use:

Polite prefix for Chinese-origin words: ご家族 (go-kazoku = your family), ご連絡 (go-renraku = your contact)

❌ When NOT to use:

Don't use for Japanese-origin words (use お instead); don't add to your own actions unless humble

ご家族・ご連絡・ご説明 Your family / Your contact / Explanation (polite)

💡 Used for Sino-Japanese (漢語) words. Very common in business Japanese.

📋 Golden Rules for Japanese Honorifics

🚫

Never use honorifics for yourself

Always drop honorifics when referring to your own name. Saying "watashi wa Tanaka-san desu" sounds unnatural. Say "Tanaka desu."

✅

さん is almost always safe

When in doubt, use さん. It works for adults of any gender in formal and semi-formal situations.

🏢

Use titles in formal workplaces

In Japanese business, address colleagues by role: 部長 (buchou = department head), 課長 (kachou = section chief), rather than name + さん.

💝

Calling someone by first name is very intimate

Japanese people typically use family (last) names with honorifics. First names are used only with very close friends or by parents to children.

📛

Japanese names: family name first

In Japanese order: 田中一郎 = Tanaka Ichiro. Family name (田中) comes first. Use 田中さん, not 一郎さん (unless close friend).

⚠️

Dropping honorifics = 呼び捨て

Addressing someone with no honorific (呼び捨て, yobisute) is either very close/intimate or outright rude - know the relationship before doing this.

🏭 Workplace Title Reference (JFT Workplace Japanese)

About Japanese Honorifics Guide

What Are Japanese Honorifics?

Japanese honorifics are suffixes added to names and titles to show respect, familiarity, or social status. Unlike in Nepali where ji or dai/didi convey respect, Japanese has a more layered system where using the wrong honorific can cause offense or awkwardness in social and professional settings.

Understanding honorifics is not just about being polite. It is a fundamental part of Japanese communication that affects how people perceive you at work, in shops, and in daily interactions. For Nepali workers going to Japan, correct honorific usage demonstrates cultural awareness and professionalism.

Common Japanese Honorific Suffixes

The most frequently used honorific is さん (san), which is the safe, universal respectful suffix similar to Mr. or Ms. in English. Use さん with colleagues, acquaintances, and anyone you are not close friends with. くん (kun) is used for younger males or male colleagues of equal or lower rank, while ちゃん (chan) is an affectionate suffix for close friends, children, and sometimes female colleagues.

さま (sama) is the highly formal version of さん, used for customers (お客様), in formal letters, and when addressing someone of significantly higher status. せんせい (sensei) is used for teachers, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals in positions of knowledge or authority.

Using Honorifics at Work in Japan

In Japanese workplaces, honorific usage follows strict hierarchical rules. Address your boss and seniors with さん or their title plus さん (部長, 課長). Never use くん or ちゃん with superiors. When speaking about your own company's people to outsiders, drop the honorific entirely, as this is a form of humility.

Customers and clients always receive さま (sama) regardless of their age or status. Getting this right from your first day at a Japanese company shows respect for workplace culture and helps build positive relationships with colleagues and supervisors.

Common Honorific Mistakes to Avoid

The biggest mistake foreign workers make is using no honorific at all, which sounds rude or overly familiar in Japanese. Always default to さん when unsure. Another common error is using さん with your own name when introducing yourself, which sounds unnatural. Simply say your name without any suffix.

Avoid using ちゃん with people you have just met or with senior colleagues, as it implies excessive familiarity. Also be careful not to mix up さん and さま in customer service situations, where さま is expected and さん may seem insufficiently respectful.

How to Use Japanese Honorifics Guide

Browse the complete list of Japanese honorific suffixes and their meanings

Read the usage rules and real-life examples for each honorific

Check the workplace honorific guidelines for professional situations

Practice with the quick reference table to reinforce correct usage

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use san vs sama? +

Use さん (san) for colleagues, acquaintances, and most everyday interactions. It is the standard respectful suffix and is always safe to use. Use さま (sama) for customers, clients, in formal written correspondence, and when addressing someone of very high status. In a workplace, customers are always addressed with さま.

Can I use kun for my boss? +

No, never use くん (kun) for your boss or anyone senior to you. くん is reserved for younger males, male peers of equal or lower status, and sometimes subordinates. Using くん with a superior would be considered disrespectful. Always use さん (san) or their title when addressing your boss or senior colleagues.

Do foreigners need to use Japanese honorifics? +

Yes, using honorifics correctly is expected of everyone living and working in Japan, including foreign workers. While Japanese people may initially be understanding of mistakes, consistently using proper honorifics shows respect for the culture and helps you integrate into your workplace and community. It also makes a positive impression on employers and colleagues.

What does sensei mean and when do I use it? +

せんせい (sensei) literally means "one who came before" and is used as an honorific for teachers, professors, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals in positions of knowledge or authority. In daily life in Japan, you would call your Japanese language teacher "sensei" and your doctor "sensei" as well. It replaces さん for these specific roles.

Should I use honorifics with my own name? +

No, you should never add an honorific suffix to your own name. When introducing yourself, simply say your name without さん or any other suffix. Adding an honorific to your own name sounds unnatural and even arrogant in Japanese. Honorifics are always for addressing or referring to other people, never yourself.