I've been wondering of this along time...
When do you use -San, -Chan, -Kun... I bet that there are more but when do you use them... it is probably if you think of age or gender but i'm not sure... so anyone know??

as far as i know...

-kun = male friend, kind of honouring
-chan = male/female close friend, cute
-san = respectful suffix
-sensei = teachers/boss etc.

ok... thx... but what about -sama... remembered it know...

I'm fairly sure that's respectful for an elder, but I could be wrong. (a.k.a. Hokage-sama).

Don't forget -sempai either! I think this is used for an elder in your school/work etc. Something like Upperclassman, Senior.

Oh and you've got -dono. But I don't really understand this one... I thought it was somewhat the same as -sama?

*confused* @_@

From what I remember in Japanese class:

"-kun" can also be used by a senior person to an inferior one to show friendliness, regardless of gender.

"-chan" can also be used by an adult when calling a child's name. There's an even more "cutesified" version of "-chan", which is "-tan" (basically a mispronounciation of "-chan" by little kids).

"-sama" is affixed to the names of those one admires and/or respects (gods, elders, admired personalities, customers, etc.).

"-dono" is a little similar to "-sama", but it's a very old honorific. I heard that people who mostly use this one are usually old ones. It's usually translated as "lord" or "lady".

"-san" also shows respect and friendliness, and is the most used honorific out of all. How shall we put this... it's more respectful than "-kun", but less respectful than "-sama". It's a general rule to use "-san" if the person you are talking to/about is your equal. However, it must never be used for a person "lower" than you.

"-sensei" is not really limited to teachers. It can be used if a person is more knowledgable than you. So aside from teachers and professors, they can also be used for doctors and masters of a particular style (ex. karate), among other things

Isn't -tan a mispronouncation of -san? ;; I read it in the translation notes of a Saint Beast fansub episode.

Well, my teacher had said it had been from "-chan". Here's also an article from Wikipedia. It's about the OS-Tan girls (a topic of which Viki had brought up here before), but it had a note of the deriviation of "-tan":

OS-Tan article

What I remembered:

-'kun' can be used in different organisations when the high-ranked people talk to low (lower) ranked people (you can see it in NGE for example).

Yep! You can also see it in Sakura Taisen. Oogami referred to most of the members in his team with a "-kun" suffix, so it doesn't necessarily have to be limited to men.

I see! ^__^;; Just thought it was strange since normally kids aren't supposed to adress others with -chan, right?

An extra note I remebered from my Japanese teacher: If you don't use a suffix on someone's name, it usually means that you are very close with that person.

Also, never use one of the suffixes on yourself or else people will think you are an arrogant bastard.

Little Question: why do most Japanese people refer to somebody standing right beside them with their name when saying something about that person? Like: "I think [insert-name]-kun is actually in love with [insert-name]-chan."

Just a bad example. (I thought it was rude to say it like that person isn't even there... ^__^;;)

Yea it makes sence... because Huys(i think he is called that... one of Roy's people... TOW glasses...) he calles Al "Al-Kun" in ep. 44 i think

That's Hughes ^__~

no not him... i mean the guy ed hits in ep. 36 in the beginning

Hmm... good question. Maybe they just really want to make sure their listener knows whom they're referring to? After all, I noticed that they don't usually use pronouns as much as we do in English. In fact, in whole sentences, they even skip mentioning the subject of their topic at times, which can make way for confusing discussions if we're not familiar with what they're talking about...

Or maybe it's because if they refer to that person's name instead of by using pronouns or such, then he/she can add suffixes without problem, thus being able to add whatever honorific they wish to add...?

Just my speculation.

yes, i also think that they havn't got pronouns.... and that's why they mention the name always...
it seems very unfriendly to a non-japanese person, but maybe it's also that the name is always f respect because it's a sign of respect....

just speculation asmjhermi did...



if you saw the anime "AISHITERUZE BABY"...... you will hear some weird suffixes.... THey are called

-CHIN
-YAN
-PYON

i searched all the internet for these endings... i don't know but i think they are mentioned very seldom.....

but i heard that -CHIN is a similar and older form of -CHAN......

help me...

@__@ Looks Chinese to me.

Hmm, -chin = -chan, -yan = -san and -pyon = ???

Sorry, I'm no help at all... ;;

@ScaR: Oh, you mean Fury? Huey = Fury in some translations... or something. @__@ Weird.

idunno, but when i saw this article... i have to think that it's bill gates again who has another great idea to make money and to spread out the name of his windows compnay in the whole world in order to reach more users.....

only a spec...

what about -rin?
i only saw this term in Megatokyo... In the comic, Erika's fans called her "Eri-rin! Eri-rin!" what's that?
http://www.megatokyo.com/index.php?strip_id=578
i know -hime means princess

Not chinese. Chinese don't use many suffixes. The only really commonly used one is when refering to "you". For example, thank you in Chinese is "Xie xie ni". If you talk to and elder, it turns into "Xie xie nin" as a term of respect. The character itself adds the word "heart" underneath the entire symbol. I can't actually show you because I don't have Chinese language support on my computer. >.<


Yeah, I remember Jirayia calling Tsunade "Tsunade-hime" in naruto.

or "mononoke-hime"^^^

i love this film^^

And Tsubake-hime from Yami no Matsuei~

@rsF: Chinese seems even more complicated than Japanese @__@

but it's "-rin" not "nin", and it's definitely chinese because the story is located in Japan... but i guess it means something cute?

and chinese IS complicated, I mean i am chinese and i am at the stage where i can read chinese manga fluently, but there're still some words that i don't know

isn't there a original japanese one out there who can explain to us those weird endings?!?!

hakai-kun's Japanese, right?

funny i should check this thread and find my name already here.... XD
hm... let's see:

-kun: someone of lower or equal status/rank to you. also boys rather be called '-kun' because it implies that they've matured above the '-chan' stage.

-chan: girls, little kids, lovers, close friends, etc.

-yan, -tan, etc.: i know '-yan' for sure is a specific dialect [don't remember which.] and i'm pretty sure the others you mentioned where different dialects as well. that, or just added to sound 'cute'.

-sempai/-senpai: is 'senior'. someone whom you respect. or is higher then you. like in school the freshmen talking to the sophmore.

-san: is your general respect or 'talking to a stranger' thing. i think they translate it as mr/ms/mrs in english a lot. but that's not really correct. -shrugs-

-sama: is like a god. but it can also be like priests, kings, etc. or just people you respect a LOT

-dono: is sort of similar to '-sama' but it's kind of old Japanese.

-sensei: teacher. someone who's good at what they do. you call docters 'sensei-'. and you also call mangakas [manga artists] '-sensei'. etc.

they refer to people with their names because in Japanese you don't really say he/she. it's implied. but the implication is not always noted as to whom you're talking about. especially with large groups. so they use names. there is a word for he/she. but it's rarely used.

um... i dunno if i answered all your questions. but i need to get off the computer right now.... sorry. and i hope i cleared some things up

Wow, most of what I had been taught were correct!

I think you answered all of the questions here so far, Hakai-kun. Thanks!

thanks!!^^^^ that answers were interesting.. now i can be satisfied^^^^

Look at the specialist going at it! hakai-kun~ you're the best! *applauds* Thanks yous! ^__^

About the stuff after the names, -san, -chan, etc.:

What about older brothers like Nii-san??
Is this right?

Nii-san:
Younger boy to older brother

Nee-chan:
Younger boy to older sister

Onii-chan:
Younger girl to older brother

Onee-chan:
Younger girl to older sister

Okaa-san:Mother
Otou-san:Father
Oji-san:Grandfather
etc.

<Edited the post to prepare the thread for merge. 03/06/07 ~Tombow>

About the stuff after the names, -san, -chan, etc.:


sama = lord
hoakge-sama = lord hokage



<Edited the post to prepare the thread for merge. 03/06/07 ~Tombow>

About the stuff after the names, -san, -chan, etc.:

"onii-san" means older brother. it can vary to "nii-san," "nii-chan, "onii-chan," and "aniki." it doesn't matter if a younger sister or younger brother is doing the addressing, just like it doesn't matter in english. "onee-san" is older sister, as is "nee-san," "nee-chan," and "aneki." again, it doesn't matter if it's younger sister or younger brother doing the addressing, as long as they're younger.

"okaa-san" is mother, like "kaa-san," "kaa-chan," and "okaa-chan." father is "otou-san," "tou-san," "tou-chan," and "otou-chan." see the pattern?

"ojii-san" - grandfather; can also be used when addressing an old man that's not your grandpa.
"obaa-san" - grandma; old lady.
"oji-san" - uncle
"oba-san" - aunt
"otouto" - little brother. though you don't really address your younger sibling with the term "little brother" like you would with an older sibling; you'd just call them by their name.
"imouto" - little sister

not necessarily. like mj hermi and hakai-kun stated earlier, -sama is used as a suffix with people you really respect/are of a higher level than you.

hmm, maybe kansai-ben? in kansai-ben, -san becomes -han, but in yakitate!! japan, kawachi calls kuroyanagi kuro-yan. or maybe that's just a shortening of the "yanagi" part. i think "ja nai" becomes "yan" in kansai ben, but that's different. aahh i'm confusing myself.



<Edited the post to prepare the thread for merge. 03/06/07 ~Tombow>

About the stuff after the names, -san, -chan, etc.:



I feel a little stupid replying to a "dead/old" thread... but whatever I'm bored too XD

yeah... -yan is kansai-ben. in Yakitate!!Japan Kawachi is from... Oosaka I think (if I remember correctly) so yeah. Kuro-yan is like Kuro-san, except in Kansai/Oosaka-ben ^^
unrelated: but does Kuro-yan remind anyone else for Roy Mustang? I started giving him the nickname of Roy Kuro-yan ^^;



<Edited the post to prepare the thread for merge. 03/06/07 ~Tombow>

About the stuff after the names, -san, -chan, etc.:


-sama is ultra respect for somebody
OR translated into titles
EXAMPLE: The Cat Returns: Lune-sama translated to Prince Lune



<Edited the post to prepare the thread for merge. 03/06/07 ~Tombow>

About the stuff after the names, -san, -chan, etc.:

well if any one is still wondering about the whole when to use which ending i think that you could look into a manga that you might have in a closet somewhere and look in there for that answer. If you have like Gundam seed, Negima, etc... they should have them posted on the first 2 pages or so. But that all depends which edition you have of the manga and if the manga it self uses it in the story or not.


If anyone has some info... I am looking into going to metrocon in tampa florida. If anyone can put some light on the date location or amount of money, or just give me a link to where to go. Please either post or Email me directly. KiraYamatoonStrike@yahoo.com Please Please Please Please Please let me know if you know anything!!!! Thanks



<Edited the post to prepare the thread for merge. 03/06/07 ~Tombow>

Ha, more thread revival!!

@X-105 Strike - Welcome to the board!!
You can post that on Anime Convention thread, that's in General anime forum of our board.

About the stuff after the names, -san, -chan, etc.:

Wow, I havnt seen this thread in... what is it., like a year and a half since I last browsed through it.
But its alwayus good to have this around as I have seen them being used incorrectly. (I did once but got an earfull from a few people so I remembered, XD)



<Edited the post to prepare the thread for merge. 03/06/07 ~Tombow>

A Question..., Something Ive been wondering...


Hiya,

I have seen many, many implications of the japanese titles
-san,-kun and so on. I was born in canada and I an quite
new to these terms and the only thing I know is a little bit of japanese
kanji. Could someone explain what these mean?

San

San (さん, 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.”, 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.[dubious – discuss]

In western Japan (Kansai), particularly in the Kyoto area, Han (はん, Han?) is used instead of san.

Kun

Kun (君, 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 Shinzō-kun". The only exception was that when Takako Doi was the chairperson of the lower house: she used the san title.

Chan

Chan (ちゃん, 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 kōhai

Senpai (先輩, Senpai) is used to address senior colleagues or mentor figures, e.g. students referring to or addressing more senior students in schools, junior athletes 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. Kōhai (後輩, Kōhai?) is the reverse of this. It is used to refer to juniors (but not normally address them: kōhai are normally addressed by name +kun; addressing someone directly as kōhai would be somewhat rude).

Sensei

Sensei (先生, 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

Sama (様, 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-machidō 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

Shi (氏, 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.

Credits Wikipedia

Useful anime information.
Though coyote_spirit has got the basics covered.

Try the Search function next time.

Have a nice day.

This will go to All the stuff after the name..san, chan, sama, etc. thread.