It is said that the most important aspects of a culture are reflected through its language, and vice versa. This is why we highly encourage immersing yourself in the culture of the language that you are trying to learn.
For instance, according to Nihon Dojo, there are a lot of Japanese phrases that are loosely used by non-native speakers without them even knowing that what they are saying is actually insulting. The Japanese culture, after all, has high regard for respect and courtesy. One proof of that is their extensive use of honorifics.
What Are Honorifics?
In a nutshell, honorifics are prefixes and suffixes added to a name to show respect during a conversation. They can also pertain to one’s gender, refer to the relationship between the speaker and the person referred to, and even state a person’s familial or professional rank.
The usage of Japanese honorifics is part of keigo, which literally translates to “respectful language.” It is highly mandatory in various social situations and definitely a part of speech that you should learn if you are thinking of visiting their country.
Most Common Honorifics
Now that we know how crucial it is to learn honorifics, here are the most common ones to help you get started:
San
This is definitely the most common honorific out there and is equivalent to Mr. or Mrs. in the English language. It shows respect between equals and, interestingly, can also be added to occupation names. This is a good go-to honorific if you don’t know which one to use.
Sama
This honorific is a good choice if a situation calls for something more formal than san. This shows utmost respect and that you treat the other person as someone from a higher rank than you.
Chan
Here’s another popular honorific, though not as formal as the previous two. Chan has a more affectionate element into it and, thus, is commonly used to refer to girls, close friends, and lovers. The Japanese view the “ch” sound as cute, so it is understandable that they use chan to refer to pets, too. Please avoid using this to refer to a superior or a stranger; else, risk insulting them.
Kun
If chan is used to refer to young girls, how about young boys? That’s what kun is for. Again, this is another informal honorific that you should not use sparingly without complete understanding. After all, kun is usually used by a person of higher rank towards a younger male or a boy. Kun can also be used among friends, granted that they are very close to each other.
Formal and Informal Honorifics
As you might have already noticed, honorifics can both be formal and informal. The challenge is knowing how to determine which one to use in a social situation.
For instance, we understand why some people use the informal versions of familial honorifics. After all, they are referring to a family member, right? Yes, but not always. Honorific use can still depend on the particular situation, as there are ceremonial events (such as weddings and funerals) where the use of the formal versions will be mandatory.
Familial Honorifics
Here is a table showing the most common familial honorifics for your quick reference:
| Family Member | Formal Honorific | Informal Honorific |
| Grandfather | Oji-san | Oji-chan |
| Grandmother | Oba-san | Oba-chan |
| Father | Oto-san | To-san |
| Mother | Oka-san | Ka-san, Ka-chan |
| Older Brother | Onii-san | Nii-san, Nii-chan |
| Older Sister | One-san | Ne-san, Ne-chan |
| Aunt | Oba-san | N/A |
| Uncle | Oji-san | N/A |
Workplace Honorifics
Here’s where things can get a little tricky. Workplace honorifics can be quite specific to the position of the person you’re referring to. Obviously, making a mistake will be frowned upon. General managers get the honorific buchou, section chiefs or managers get kachou, the president or chairman gets kaichou, and the company president is referred to as shachou.
Why Does Japan Use Honorifics?
There is still a long list of other honorifics you should look into and memorize aside from the ones we listed. Knowing these is very important if you are currently learning the language or planning to stay in Japan for an extended period.
Remember, the use of honorifics must never be downplayed. It is an integral part of the language. Japan uses honorifics to show how much they value respect. They also use these words to determine everyone’s particular place in society, which, again, is a part of their culture.
We cannot stress enough how important respect is for them. They even have respectful ways to eat sushi. Those are not the only things unique to their culture, too, so feel free to explore other cultural nuances, as well.
What About Foreigners?
Are foreigners expected to know and use honorifics? Let’s say you made some close friends during your visit, and you want them to call you by your first name and drop honorifics altogether. You can certainly do that, but it doesn’t mean all your Japanese friends will be comfortable doing so. They may also choose to call you by your family name and then add the honorific after it.
On the other hand, don’t take it the wrong way if a Japanese just calls you by your first name. It simply means they are trying to adapt to the Western way of doing things with respect to our culture. In return, they expect us to do the same—to respect their culture and try our best to remember to use the correct honorifics at the right place and time.
Conclusion
The use of keigo or honorifics is a must in the Japanese language. It is the art of respectful language and is deeply ingrained in their values. There are a lot of honorifics that one can use to refer to another person in conversation. They are mainly categorized between formal and informal. There are also honorifics used for specific family members and colleagues.
When in doubt, you can keep four commonly-used honorifics in mind. San is an all-around term you can use for anyone to show respect. Sama is a more formal version of san used for people with higher ranks or during ceremonial events. Chan is an informal term for girls and people you share affection with. Finally, kun is an informal term for boys and among very close friends.