Japanese Honorifics

One of my American friends asked me two questions about Japan. This was one of them.

The Contract318 : My first question is: What is the meaning of calling someone _____chan vs _____san. In my Japanese class we are called by our last names with san at the end, which I think means Mr./Mrs. However, many times in manga people say "-chan" at the end. Is this something said just between friends?

Answer : Yes.

The Japanese language has five common honorifics to add at the end of names of people.
“San”, “chan”, “kun” “sama” and “dono”.
“Dono” is used scarcely. You write it when you direct letters to lower ranking people. That means that writing the honorific makes you appear bossy.
When my younger brother has wrote to me using it, I got angry and complained. He said that he writes many letters to his patients with the honorific every day, and he had used it out of pure habit. He is a doctor. I believe he is arrogant.
I think only Tennoh (the Japanese Emperor) can use that when he writes to Japanese people.
When you write letters, you must write “sama”.
“Sama” is also used to call customers. Shop assistants and clerks usually address their customers with “sama”.
By the way, we call god/gods “kamisama”. This “sama” is the honorific.

When you call your boss and fellow workmates, you should add “san” to their family names.
If you are very elderly, you can address young subordinates with “kun”. However, I don’t recommend it.
If you are a male student, you would address your male friends with “kun” or just their names without an honorific, and would address your female friends with “san”. If the person is your girlfriend, you can address her without an honorific as well.
If you are a female student, you would address your female friends with “san”. When the friends are very close, you can address them with “chan”.
When you are an adult, you must be very friendly to address friends with “chan” or to be addressed with “chan”.

Is it complicated?
Don’t worry. You can always say “san”.
Good luck!
Thank you!!


Koir, ColinHowel and Columbine, thanks for helping!