An Introduction to Japanese Honorifics

When speaking Japanese, honorifics (敬称, keishō) are placed after names, such as -san, -sama, -kun, and -chan. Some of you may wonder, “Is this usage really correct?” There is a wide variety of honorifics, and using them properly is important. Today, we will explore some common Japanese honorifics and their usage—especially in business settings—in an easy and practical way!

Japanese honorifics (敬称, keishō) are words placed after names to express respect or friendliness toward others. They are somewhat similar to English titles such as Mr. or Mrs., but in Japanese, there are far more varieties, and their usage is much more intricate.

Below are some of the most commonly used honorifics. How many have you heard or seen before?

・〜さん（–san）

・〜様（さま, –sama）

・〜くん（–kun）

・〜ちゃん（–chan）

・〜殿（どの, –dono）

・〜先生（せんせい, –sensei）

・〜先輩（せんぱい, –senpai）

・〜氏（し, –si）

・〜社長（しゃちょう, –shachō）

・〜部長（ぶちょう, –buchō）

・〜課長（かちょう, –kachō）


Honorifics can give different impressions depending on which one you use. So, when should each honorific be used? Let’s dive into some of the most frequently used Japanese honorifics and explore their usage.

–san is the most common honorific, as it can be used for a wide range of people regardless of gender or age. The practice of adding -san to names has now become widely recognized, even among those who are not studying Japanese.

Using -san shows respect while remaining moderately formal, making it widely used in both daily conversations and business settings. If you are unsure which honorific to use, -san is a safe choice, allowing you to avoid offending anyone.

Examples:

・At the hospital:
山田花子さん、どうぞ。(Yamada Hanako-san, dōzo.)
–“Ms. Hanako Yamada, please come in.”

・To a neighbor:
木村さん、娘さんはお元気ですか。(Kimura-san, musume-san wa o-genki desu ka.)
– “Mr./Ms. Kimura, how is your daughter?”

–kun is typically used for younger males or boys, particularly in school settings or when addressing juniors in the workplace. -chan is a more affectionate honorific, commonly used for women or children, and is sometimes also employed between romantic partners or when referring to pets.

Examples:

・A boss talking to a male subordinate:
鈴木くん、資料の準備ありがとう。(Suzuki-kun, shiryō no junbi arigatō.)
– “Thank you for preparing the documents, Suzuki.”

・Among female friends:
みほちゃん、明日何時に会う？(Miho-chan, ashita nanji ni au?)
– “Miho, what time are we meeting tomorrow?”

Please keep in mind that –kun and –chan are casual honorifics used to express familiarity, so it’s best to avoid them in business settings, especially when addressing superiors or meeting someone for the first time.

–sama (様): A polite honorific that conveys greater respect than -san. It is commonly used in business correspondence or when addressing customers.

Examples:

・In business writing:
TCJ 佐藤太郎様 (TCJ Satō Tarō-sama)
– “Mr. Tarō Satō, TCJ”

・To a customer:
田中様、いつもお買い上げありがとうございます。(Tanaka-sama, itsumo o-kaiage arigatō gozaimasu.)
– “Mr./Ms. Tanaka, thank you always for choosing us.”

Using –sama for your own company’s president or superiors is actually considered incorrect. In such cases, it is appropriate to place the job title after the person’s name instead.

–sensei, which literally means “teacher,” is used to address not only schoolteachers but also doctors, lawyers, politicians, and other professionals in specialized fields. It is also used for masters of traditional arts such as calligraphy or tea ceremony.

Examples:

・At a language school:
松田先生、この問題がわからないんですが……。(Matsuda-sensei, kono mondai ga wakaranain desu ga…)
– “Professor Matsuda, I don’t understand this problem…”

・Talking to a doctor at a hospital:
吉田先生、このお薬はいつ飲めばいいですか。(Yoshida-sensei, kono okusuri wa itsu nomeba ii desu ka?)
– “Dr. Yoshida, when should I take this medicine?”

–shi is an honorific employed in official contexts, such as news articles and reports. It is rarely used in everyday conversation; however, it is considered appropriate when referring to an individual in an objective manner. If you observe Japanese news carefully, you will notice that –san is almost never used.

Example:

On the news:
森氏は、会見を開きました。(Mori-shi wa, kaiken o hirakimashita.)
– “Mr. Mori held a press conference.”

For learners of Japanese, one of the biggest challenges with honorifics is knowing how to address someone when meeting for the first time. In most cases, -san is the safest and most appropriate choice. Since it can be used for people of any gender or age, it helps avoid unintended rudeness. Because of its flexibility, -san is an ideal honorific that works well in many situations.

Furthermore, in Japanese, honorifics often change as relationships deepen or as social hierarchies become clearer. For example, someone who is initially addressed as 「福田さん: Fukuda-san」 may later be called 「ふくちゃん：Fuku-chan」 to express familiarity and affection. While -san is very useful as the safest choice, continuing to use it with someone you have grown close to can create a slight sense of distance. Personally, when I feel comfortable with certain people and wish to show closeness, I intentionally switch to using -chan or -kun.

As shown here, Japanese honorifics can naturally change in response to the development of relationships, rather than remaining fixed from the beginning. The key is to start with -san and then adjust to other honorifics that better reflect the current relationship, taking into account the closeness and dynamics between you and the other person.

In business settings, addressing someone with -san is the general practice. However, using job titles may be more appropriate depending on the person’s position and your relationship with them. It is also important to note that the usage differs when addressing people within your company compared to those outside the company.

In general, -san is used for colleagues and juniors, as well as for seniors when no job title is attached. For superiors, it is common to use job titles as honorifics. For example, if your department manager’s name is 大谷: Otani, he would most likely be addressed as 大谷部長: Otani-buchō. Using job titles in this way makes the hierarchical relationship distinctly clear.

Examples:

To colleagues:
・星野さん、お疲れさまでした。(Hoshino-san, otsukaresama deshita.)
– “Thank you for your hard work, Hoshino.”

To the president:
・柳井社長、今、お時間よろしいでしょうか。(Yanai-shachō, ima, ojikan yoroshii deshō ka?)
– “President Yanai, do you have a moment now?”

When speaking to someone outside your company, you need to pay extra attention. For example, even if you call your boss “高橋課長: Takahashi-kachō” (Section Chief Takahashi) at work, when referring to that person to someone outside your company, you should omit honorifics — such as 「弊社の高橋が…: Heisha no Takahashi ga…」(Our Takahashi…) or 「課長の高橋が…: Kachō no Takahashi ga…」(Takahashi, the Section Chief …). This practice of humbling one’s own company members is a distinctive feature of Japanese business etiquette.

When talking to someone outside your company or to customers, honorifics such as 様: -sama or job titles are generally used. However, as interactions become more frequent and the relationship grows closer, using -san may also be appropriate.

Examples:

When meeting someone for the first time:
藤井様、本日はお時間をいただき、ありがとうございます。(Fujii-sama, honjitsu wa ojikan o itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu.)
– “Fujii-sama, thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.”

To someone with a title:
西田部長、大変お世話になっております。(Nishida-buchō, taihen osewa ni natte orimasu.)
– “Nishida-buchō, thank you very much for your continued support.”

Please note that adding –sama to a job title is not a proper use of honorifics. For example, saying ‘Maeda-shachō-sama’ is incorrect; the correct form is simply ‘Maeda-shachō.’ While adding –sama might seem more polite, it is not appropriate in Japanese business etiquette.

To make your Japanese communication smoother, one of the keys is mastering honorifics. Using them properly allows you to build relationships with others more effectively. However, you might wonder which honorifics to use, since there is a wide variety, especially in business settings in Japan, where etiquette is highly valued. In such cases, asking our professionals who are knowledgeable in business Japanese is the easiest and most efficient way. Once you master how to use Japanese honorifics, you’ll find yourself communicating in Japanese with confidence!