Honorifics & Name Suffixes

An honorific is a suffix at the end of someone's name to indicate relationship, or level of respect for the person, or even ones familiarity with the person. One never uses these in reference to oneself. "You respect others, not yourself" as my Japanese teacher, Makita-sensei always says.

Also, you rarely use first names, and only use a first name between very close friends or family, and even then a suffix is usually used. To greet someone you hardly know by their first name is very rude and somewhat slanderous among the Japanese. So USE the suffixes with the family name. When Japanese people introduce themselves, they always give their family name first. EX:Watashi wa Smith Eric desu. (I am Eric Smith)

-san Neutral Polite, like Mr. or Mrs/Ms. Used with almost everyone, places a bit of distance between one and said person. Also used for items and things, but usually only in Osaka-ben. (Osaka dialect.)

-sama Very polite honorific. Used only with figures of great authority, or people to whom one wishes to show great respect, while also putting distance between one another. Also used by shopkeepers and such to refer to customers. (O-kyaku-sama)

-kun Polite familiar. Used with those to whom one wishes to show respect, but also indicate that you are close to one another. The kanji used is the same for "kimi" which is a familiar word for "you", used mostly by young men and some women.

-chan Diminutive polite OR nonpolite familiar. This can be used with people younger than oneself whom one does or does not know. It tends to place people at a lower level than oneself, or cutesifies them.e It can also be used with close friends, the same ones with whom one would drop the -masu form and use plain style verbs.

-san	Neutral Polite, like Mr. or Mrs/Ms. Used with almost everyone, places a bit of distance between one and said person. Also used for items and things, but usually only in Osaka-ben. (Osaka dialect.)
-sama	Very polite honorific. Used only with figures of great authority, or people to whom one wishes to show great respect, while also putting distance between one another. Also used by shopkeepers and such to refer to customers. (O-kyaku-sama)
-kun	Polite familiar. Used with those to whom one wishes to show respect, but also indicate that you are close to one another. The kanji used is the same for "kimi" which is a familiar word for "you", used mostly by young men and some women.
-chan	Diminutive polite OR nonpolite familiar. This can be used with people younger than oneself whom one does or does not know. It tends to place people at a lower level than oneself, or cutesifies them.e It can also be used with close friends, the same ones with whom one would drop the -masu form and use plain style verbs.