さん
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also Appendix:Variations of "san"
Contents |
Japanese [edit]
Kanji reading [edit]
さん (san)
On-reading of: [edit]
- 三: three
- 山: mountain
- 産: give birth
- 参: three, participate, visit
- 算: calculation, arithmetic
- 残
- 散: scatter
- 賛: approval
- 操
- 杉
- 酸: acid; oxide
- 尽
- 惨: disaster
- 傘: umbrella; parachute
- 桟: framework
- 蚕: silkworm
Kun-reading of: [edit]
Nanori-reading of: [edit]
Noun [edit]
さん (romaji san)
Etymology [edit]
Suffix [edit]
さん (romaji -san)
- A title used after person's name (first name or surname) regardless of sex; Mr, Ms, Mrs, Miss. Also used after a job title and a company name.
- 山田さん - Mr/Ms Yamada. Sex is indistinguishable.
- あきらさん - Also available for first name.
- 山田あきらさん - Mr/Ms Akira Yamada.
- 店員さん - Sir/Madam (literally Mr/Ms shop clerk), when talking to a shop clerk.
- 運転手さん - Sir/Madam (literally Mr/Ms driver), when talking to a taxi/bus driver.
- ソニーさん - Sony, used in business by people meeting Sony.
- (colloquial) Used after a shop name.
- 学校の前に床屋さんがある。
- Gakkō no mae ni tokoya-san ga aru.
- In front of school, there’s a barber’s.
- Gakkō no mae ni tokoya-san ga aru.
- 学校の前に床屋さんがある。
Usage notes [edit]
様 (さま, sama) is used in more formal situation, like sir.
More familiar, one uses 君 (くん, kun), especially of men, or ちゃん (chan), especially of young women and children.
Referring to someone without using a suffix is quite rude, and is called 呼び捨て (よびすて, yobisute).
When used after a job name which refers to either the shop or the master depending on the context , it does not restrict animacy. For example, when using 床屋 (the barber shop or the hairdresser), both 床屋さんが一軒ある (inanimate ある) and 床屋さんが一人いる (animate いる) are correct.
See also [edit]
- 様 (さま, sama) (more respectful)
- [[ちゃん#Japanese|]] (chan) (more familiar, especially of young women and children)
- 君 (くん, kun) (more familiar, especially of men)
- 殿 (どの, dono) (more respectful)
- どん
- 呼び捨て (よびすて, yobisute)
Suffix [edit]
さん (romaji -san)
Okinawan [edit]
Noun [edit]
さん (san)
