2007-08-22 05:33:22 · 6 answers · asked by Sa-chan 2 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Comics & Animation
The ones I hear the most often (San, Kun, Chan, Senpai, kōhai, Sensei, Sama) and many others are described here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_titles
2007-08-22 05:44:56 · answer #1 · answered by McFate 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
San- Mr. or Mrs.
Kun- Used towards children or towards males of a lower status/age
Chan- Primarily sed to address children or family members
Senpai- Addressing a senior student/colleague
Sensei- Addressing a teacher, docotor, lawyer, or some others.
Sama- A formal version of san.
More are listed in the wiki.
2007-08-22 12:48:49 · answer #2 · answered by Mat of the RSPSOA 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
-san: Mr., Miss, Ms. Mrs.
-sama: It's a higher level of respect
-dono: An even higher level of respect
-kun: Used at the end of a boy's name to show familiarity and endearment.
-chan: Used to express endearment towards girls and has a sense of childish cuteness
Bozu: Informal way of saying boy like we say kid or squirt
Sempai/senpai: Usually used in a school setting, where underclassmen call the senior graders their sempai/senpai
Kohai: The opposite of Sempai/senpai where upperclassmen
call the lower classes their Kohai
Sensei: It is used to address teachers, doctors, and experts at what they do.
If you call them without a suffix it either means that either you love each other or you are insulting them.
2007-08-22 13:06:02 · answer #3 · answered by JustinJumba!!!!! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know them all but I'll help where I can
Kun - A girl can say this to a boy and it's a term of affection. Or it can be used to describe some one cute and in baby cute or acting cute. Like a mother would say to her son.
Chan - Is what a boy would say as a term of affection to a girl.
Koi - Is like, saying "my love" more like a husband wife thing.
San - Is like Mr. , it a respectful way to talk to someone.
Sempi - Is like an older co-worker, some one who you look up to.
Sensai - Is Teacher
2007-08-22 12:49:35 · answer #4 · answered by Jon A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are honorifics used to distinguish one's status relationship to another. Japanese society is very vertical, and the language makes a point of that.
-san: For a peer or someone of unknown rank
-chan: for little children, especially girls
-kun: for young men
-sempai: for someone who is a little more senior than you
-taicho: leader or captain
-sensei: teacher or doctor
-sama: one of high rank and respect
-dono: one of very high rank and respect
Additionally:
*imoto: a little sister or a younger girl if you're being cute...what the students call the younger twin in D.N. Angel
*shacho: company president
*kocho: principal
*ojisan: older man (means uncle)
*obasan: older woman (means aunt)
*ojiisan: elderly man (means grandpa)
*obaasan: elderly woman (means grandma)...what Naruto calls Tsunade
*ojosan or onesan: young girl (mean daughter and big sister respectively)...the second is what Kon calls all the cute girls in Bleach
*obocchan or onisan: young man (mean son and big brother, respectively)...the first is what all the servants at Tamaki's house call him in Ouran
2007-08-22 13:13:00 · answer #5 · answered by end_the_regime_now 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
San - Mr / Ms
Kun - for males to those that you honor/admire
Chan - for little kids male or female
Sama - for those of higher rank / authoritie / etc
2007-08-22 13:28:45 · answer #6 · answered by wallet113 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋