さん

Suffix

さん (rōmaji -san)

1. 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 (やまだ)さん

     Yamada-san

     Mr/Ms. Yamada

   • あきらさん

     Akira-san

     Akira

   • 山田 (やまだ)あきらさん

     Yamada Akira-san

     Mr/Ms. Akira Yamada

   • 店 (てん)員 (いん)さん

     ten'in-san

     Sir/Madam (lit. "Mr/Ms. shop clerk"; used when talking to a shop clerk.)

   • 運 (うん)転 (てん)手 (しゅ)さん

     untenshu-san

     Sir/Madam (lit. "Mr/Ms. driver"; used when talking to a taxi/bus driver.)

   • ソニーさん

     sonī-san

     Sir/Madam (used in business by people meeting Sony.)

2. (colloquial) Used after a shop name.
   • 学 (がっ)校 (こう)の前 (まえ)に床屋 (とこや)さんがある。

     Gakkō no mae ni tokoya-san ga aru.

     In front of school, there’s a barber’s.

Usage notes

• 様 (sama) is used in more formal situations, like sir.
  • More familiarly, one uses 君 (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 (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 referring to 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

• 様 (さま) (sama) (more respectful)
• ちゃん (chan) (more familiar, especially of young women and children)
• 君 (くん) (kun) (more familiar, especially of men)
• 殿 (どの) (dono) (more respectful)