Japanese Honorifics

[Yuzuki Asahina]

Japanese Honorifics

In the language of Japanese, honorifics are most crucial when addressing or referring to people with proper respect, these forms take after one’s name in the style of a suffix. The art of the Japanese language is not unlike English because Japanese honorifics have the privilege of being attached to a surname, first name, or even profession titles and so on. To not use an honorific means one of two things: either contempt for the person to whom you're speaking, or else it implies that you share a “very” close relationship with said person. Also note that the terms for big/little brother and sister are often used as terms of affection for close friends whose relationship with you roughly approximate that of a big or little brother or sister.


The Basics

-chan	For close friends and relatives, especially female ones. This honorific may also be used for old childhood friends who you still address as your close friend.
-kun	An uncommon title after the name of colleague or student, usually male. Used for male friends and relatives, but is rarely used for females.
-san	Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss.; The suffix denoting that the person being spoken to is of equal or nearly equal social status. It is not used for people you know well, that would be more suited for “chan” or “kun.”
-sama [formal]	Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss. Utilized for high respected intentions and is not normally used with other people’s names, but it still can be. sempai A senior (colleague, fellow student).; Upperclassman, or more generally somebody in the same social class but superior to you (ex, 'Kira-sempai') kohai One’s junior (colleague, fellow student); Underclassman, or more generally somebody in the same social class but inferior to you. Unlike sempai, kohai is very rarely used as an honorific - generally 'chan' or 'kun' is substituted.
-sensei	Teacher.
Kojin	An individual.
Onna-	Woman, female.
- Chin, -tan, -chama	Non-standard variations of chan include chin and tan. In the same way that chan is a version of san, there is also chama from sama, typically used for an older person.

Terms of Familarity

Grandfather	Sofu (mine grandfather) or Ojiisan (general term for oldmen)
Grandmother	Sobo (mine-) or Obaasan (general term for oldwomen)
Uncle	Oji or Ojisan is a genaral term for middle-aged men.
Aunt	Oji or Ojisan is a genaral term for middle-aged men.
Big Brother	Ani, Oniisan, Oniisama, Oniichan, Niisan, Niichan, Aniki, etc.
Big Sister	Ane , Oneesan, Oneesama, Oneechan, Neesan, Neechan, Aneki, etc.
Little Brother	Otouto (never used with "chan" or "kun", except to look down on him), "Otouto-san" is used when talking about other person's brother.
Little Sister	Imouto (never used with "chan" or "kun", except for looking down at the other), "Imouto-san" is used when talk about other person's sister.
Father	Chichi, Otousan, Tousan, Oyaji, Touchan, Papa, etc
Mother	Haha, Okaasan, Kaasan, Ofukuro, Kaachan, Mama, etc.
Brothers and Sisters	Kyodai
Brother/Sister-in-law	Similar as Big/Little Brother/Sister above, but it uses different kanji (It is written differently but read the same).
Ojii-san/obaa-san	Anyone above 60.
Ojii-san/obaa-san	Used for those between 25 and 60, although this may vary depending on how old one's parents' siblings are.
Onii-san/onee-san	For one much younger than 25 but also older than you.
Otouto/imouto	For someone much younger than you.