Chapter 0: Guide to Japanese Honorifics and Terms Used
Chapter 0: Guide to Japanese Honorifics and Terms Used
For this novel, I had decided that I would keep honorifics and certain Japanese terms in romanji because, unlike the other novel I’m translating, Japanese culture and morality features a role in this novel, and you can see the subtle uses of such things by the MC and others to get a feel for their relationships. So I’ve put together this guide for readers who aren’t very familiar with Japanese honorifics and terms.
Common honorifics
-san
San is the most commonplace honorific and is a title of respect typically used between equals of any age. Although the closest analog in English are the honorifics “Mr.”, “Miss”, “Ms.”, or “Mrs.”, -san is almost universally added to a person’s name; -san can be used in formal and informal contexts and for both genders.
-sama
Sama is a more respectful version for people of a higher rank than oneself or divine, toward one’s guests or customers, and sometimes toward people one greatly admires.
-dono
Dono roughly means “lord” or “master”. It does not equate noble status; rather it is a term akin to “milord” or French “monseigneur”, and lies below -sama in level of respect. This title is not commonly used in daily conversation, but it is still used in some types of written business correspondence, as well as on certificates and awards. It is also used to indicate that the person referred to has the same (high) rank as the referrer, yet commands respect from the speaker.
-kun
Kun is generally used by people of senior status addressing or referring to those of junior status, by anyone addressing or it can be used when referring to men in general, male children or male teenagers, or among male friends. It can be used by males or females when addressing a male to whom they are emotionally attached, or who they have known for a long time. Although it may seem rude in workplaces, the suffix is also used by juniors when referring to seniors in both academic situations and workplaces.
Although -kun is generally used for boys, it is not a hard rule. For example, -kun can be used to name a close personal friend or family member of any gender. In business settings, young female employees are addressed as -kun by older males of senior status. It can be used by male teachers addressing their female students
-chan
Chan expresses that the speaker finds a person endearing. In general, -chan is used for babies, young children, close friends, grandparents and sometimes female adolescents. It may also be used towards cute animals, lovers, or a youthful woman. Using -chan with a superior’s name is considered to be condescending and rude. Likewise, using this for someone, especially adults, only known for a short period can be seen as offensive
Familial/General terms
Otou-san: Father
Oji-san: Uncle, or middle-aged male
Ojii-san: Grandfather, or elderly male
Oka-san: Mother
Oba-san: Aunt, or middle-aged female
Obaa-san: Grandmother, or elderly female
Onii-san: Elder brother, or young male
Onee-san: Elder sister, or young female
The initial O- itself is a prefix. In more casual situations, the prefix can be omitted while keeping the suffix. ie Nii-san, Nee-chan
Other terms
Bento
A Bento is a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine and other Asian cultures where rice is the main staple food. A traditional bento holds rice or noodles, fish or meat, with pickled and cooked vegetables, in a box. Japanese homemakers often spend time and energy on these kinds of carefully prepared lunch boxes for their spouses, children, or themselves.
Itadakimasu
It’s often translated as “I humbly receive,” but in a mealtime setting, it’s compared to “Let’s eat,” “Bon appétit,” or “Thanks for the food.” Some people even liken it to the tradition of saying grace before eating.
But in its simplest form, it is used before receiving something, which explains why it is said before eating, as the person is “receiving” food after all. The roots for this lies in Buddhism, which teaches respect for all living things. This thinking extends to mealtimes in the form of thanks to the plants, animals, farmers, hunters, chefs, and everything that went into the meal.
Nyan / Nya / Mya
Meow. ( ^ω^ )
Map of the right continent
