If you’re like me and mostly want to speak Japanese, not read or write it, this post is for you. Everything here is written in romaji (the Romanized version of Japanese). If you’re interested in learning hiragana, katakana, or kanji, I recommend using other resources, or even asking ChatGPT for a custom plan.
(Feel free to check out the r/languagelearning and r/LearnJapanese subreddits for extra resources or recommendations).
🔰 I don’t have any certificates, just a learner sharing what I know, so if I get something wrong, feel free to double-check or correct me!
💬 I’m still learning Japanese too, (on my journey from bronze to grandmaster), I document everything in my weekly language progress logs.
Every week I post a page with:
- A short speaking video or update
- My test assessment
- Notes and improvements
- What rank I’m at (from Bronze to Grandmaster)
👉 Check out the Language Progress Glossary Here
In Japanese, honorifics (keishō) are suffixes or titles used to show respect, familiarity, hierarchy, or affection. There are over 60 honorifics in Japanese, though many are archaic or limited to historical or formal contexts.
You’ll commonly encounter a smaller group of honorifics in modern Japanese, especially in anime, dramas, or everyday conversations.
🧭 How Honorifics Work
- In Japan, it’s normal to refer to someone by their last name, especially in formal or unfamiliar situations.
You also introduce yourselves starting with last name, then first name. - Honorifics are placed at the end of a name, whether it’s the first or last name (e.g., Tanaka-san, Sakura-chan).
- A few honorifics, like job titles, may replace the person’s name entirely (e.g., Shachō = Company President).
🔹 Common Everyday Japanese Honorifics
san (さん)
➡ Neutral & respectful. Used for most people regardless of gender or age.
✅ Equivalent to “Mr.” or “Ms.” in English.
🧠 Default safe option in any setting.
chan (ちゃん)
➡ Affectionate and cute.
✅ Used for children, pets, close female friends, lovers.
💡 Occasionally used for boys by close friends or family, or older males in casual, friendly settings.
kun (くん)
➡ Casual or informal, typically toward younger males or junior colleagues.
✅ Used with male students, junior coworkers, or among close friends.
👩🏫 Sometimes used with girls by teachers or bosses.
sama (さま)
➡ Very respectful, formal.
✅ Used for customers (okyaku-sama), clients, or in letters.
🧠 A step above san in politeness.
senpai (せんぱい)
➡ Respectful, hierarchical.
✅ Used for someone senior in experience, grade, or position, such as an upperclassman at school, a senior coworker, or a more experienced member of a club or organization.
🧠 Typically used by a kouhai to refer to or address their senior directly (e.g., “Suzuki-senpai”). It implies both respect and familiarity.
💡 Common in anime school settings (e.g., “Senpai noticed me!” trope).
kouhai (こうはい)
➡ Opposite of senpai.
✅ Refers to a junior in rank, age, or experience, such as a newer student or colleague.
🧠 Rarely used to address someone directly. You don’t usually call someone “Kouhai”; instead, it’s used in the third person (e.g., “He’s my kouhai”).
💡 A senpai might take responsibility for guiding their kouhai, but the word itself isn’t an honorific suffix.
tan (たん)
➡ A cuter, baby-like version of chan.
✅ Used in super affectionate or moe contexts, mascots, pets, kids, or internet culture.
🧠 Very niche or playful.
You hear this one a decent amount in anime.
💼 Honorifics in Business or Formal Settings
sensei (せんせい)
➡ Used for teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, anyone with expert knowledge or prestige.
✅ Can be used both in speech and writing.
💡 Anime example: Kakashi-sensei (from Naruto)
shi (し)
➡ Very formal and primarily used in writing or news reporting.
✅ Common in newspapers, official documents, or court/legal references.
🧠 Rare in spoken Japanese, though it can pop up in anime for effect.
dono (どの)
➡ Extremely formal or old-fashioned.
✅ Historically used in samurai times or very respectful written communication (e.g., certificates).
🧠 Higher in formality than sama, but nearly obsolete in modern speech. Common in historical or fantasy anime.
buchō (部長) / kachō (課長) / etc.
➡ Job titles like “Department Chief” or “Section Manager.”
✅ Can be used instead of a name to address or refer to someone (e.g., “Tanaka-buchō”).
🧠 Many business titles work this way (shachō = president, buchō = manager, etc.)
👑 High Honorifics (Mostly Historical or Royal Contexts)
-kō (こう)
➡ Refers to nobility, such as lords or dukes. Seen in historical dramas.
-hi (ひ)
➡ Used with royal titles, e.g., kōtaishi-hi (crown prince’s wife).
heika (へいか)
➡ “His/Her Majesty”, for emperors or royalty.
✅ Still used today when referring to the Japanese emperor.
📦 TL;DR – Just Learn These 6 for Modern Use
If you’re a beginner or learning Japanese through anime, games, or textbooks, focus on these seven:
- san – Mr./Ms. (neutral/respectful)
- chan – Cute/affectionate
- kun – Informal, mostly for boys
- sama – Very respectful (e.g., customers)
- sensei – Teacher, doctor, professionals
- shi – Written/news context only
- senpai – Senior in experience, grade, or higher position.
senpai vs. sensei reminder
You might want to clarify that senpai refers to seniority (within the same group), while sensei implies expertise (a teacher, master, etc.).
e.g., A student one grade above = senpai, the school teacher = sensei
🧾 Summary: What Should You Use?
In most situations, -san (さん) is safe and appropriate. It’s polite, neutral, and works across most settings, school, work, casual introductions, etc.
If you’re in a formal setting with academics or professionals, use -sensei (先生) for teachers, doctors, lawyers, or people of high skill or authority.
🧠 But keep in mind:
Japanese is a highly contextual language. Once a person has been introduced in conversation, their name (or title) often drops entirely. You don’t need to constantly refer to someone with their name and honorific. It’s usually only brought up again when:
- Changing the subject to someone else
- Needing to clarify who you’re talking about
- Or directly addressing someone
In short:
→ Stick to -san unless you know a more specific title is expected.
→ Rely on context more than repetition, just like native speakers do.
🧱 Why I Learn This Way
While I continue learning Japanese and other languages, I also make money online through beermoney apps. It’s not much, but it helps me feel like I’m turning my free time into something more productive and fun.
👇 Check out my glossaries below
💸 Beermoney Glossary:
Curious how much money you can realistically make online from surveys, games, ads, and small tasks? Check out my Beermoney Glossary page, where I break down every app and site I’ve tried with videos, payment proof, and my personal experiences. I always recommend doing beermoney while watching shows, anime, gaming, or handling small tasks around the house.
👉 Beermoney reviews
📈 Monthly Earnings Tracker:
Want to see exactly what I cashed out every month? My Monthly Earnings Tracker has screenshots of my app cashouts, plus updates on my trading and investment accounts, all in one place, month by month.
👉 Monthly earnings
🌍 Language Learning Glossary:
Curious what languages I’m learning? Check out my Language Learning Glossary for weekly progress updates. I post short speaking videos, track my progress, share my personal study notes, and break down the rank criteria I follow.
👉 Language progress