Japanese honorifics: san, sama, kun and more

23 situations: which name ending, and which polite word, would you use? さん, 様, 君, ちゃん, 先生 and 先輩; 御社 or 弊社; 父 or お父さん.

Which would you use?

Which

How

About this quiz

A name ending shows how you stand with someone: さん is the everyday polite one, 様 is for customers and letters, and 先生 and 先輩 are for teachers, doctors and seniors. Speaking of your own family or company to others, Japanese uses humbler words (父, 弊社) than for theirs (お父さん, 御社).

Usage changes: many schools now use さん for every pupil, and many offices 様 where 殿 was usual. The questions follow how Japanese is used today.

What's in it

Names 10: さん、様、様、君、ちゃん、先生、先生、先輩、氏、殿
Companies 5: 御社、貴社、弊社、御中、各位
Family 8: 父、お父さん、母、お母さん、兄、お兄さん、妻、奥さん

All 23 answers

Honorifics: every word with its reading and meaning
Question	Answer	Reading	Part
Politely addressing your coworker Tanaka at work: 田中＿	さん	さん	Names
A shop or hotel addressing its customer, Tanaka: 田中＿	様	さま	Names
Writing a person's name on an envelope: 田中一郎＿	様	さま	Names
Calling a boy or a younger man, Tanaka, in a familiar way: 田中＿	君	くん	Names
Calling a little girl, Hana, affectionately: はな＿	ちゃん	ちゃん	Names
Speaking to your doctor, Dr Tanaka: 田中＿	先生	せんせい	Names
Speaking to your teacher, Ms Tanaka: 田中＿	先生	せんせい	Names
Calling a student a year above you at school or in your club, Tanaka: 田中＿	先輩	せんぱい	Names
A formal written report naming a man, Tanaka Ichirō: 田中一郎＿	氏	し	Names
An award certificate presented to Tanaka Ichirō: 田中一郎＿	殿	どの	Names
Saying 'your company' politely in a job interview	御社	おんしゃ	Companies
Writing 'your company' in a formal letter or application	貴社	きしゃ	Companies
Humbly saying 'our company' to a client	弊社	へいしゃ	Companies
Addressing an envelope to a company department, not a person: 営業部＿	御中	おんちゅう	Companies
An email to everyone concerned: 関係者＿	各位	かくい	Companies
Politely talking about your own father to someone outside your family	父	ちち	Family
Asking a friend about their father	お父さん	おとうさん	Family
Politely talking about your own mother to someone outside your family	母	はは	Family
Asking a friend about their mother	お母さん	おかあさん	Family
Politely talking about your own older brother to someone outside your family	兄	あに	Family
Asking a friend about their older brother	お兄さん	おにいさん	Family
Politely talking about your own wife to others	妻	つま	Family
Asking a coworker about his wife	奥さん	おくさん	Family

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These words use 19 kanji with their own pages: readings, stroke order and more words.

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