Posted by Nina on 6/27/2004, 1:03 am, in reply to "Simple Japanese (K)" -san: Hirakana only (³ñ) usage: (last name) + "-san" -sama: Kanji: (l), Hirakana: (³Ü) : (last-name) + "-sama" (If there are multiple persons sharing the same family name in the same environment, it may be (first name)+ "-sama") -kun: Kanji: (N), Hirakana: (ñ): usage: (first name) + "-kun" -chan: Hirakana only (¿áñ): (first name)+"chan" And yes, these are only used to address OTHER PEOPLE, but NOT yourself. You don't introduce yourself as a Mrs. Smith when you talk to someone. You might called yourself a "-sama" when you're ready to pick fights, however. Also, you may call yourself "-chan" (usually means that you knowingly acting childish) to tease others.
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This is probably the most common mistake I've seen when I read the English fanfics, when they try to incorporate the Japanese system(^^;)
It could be Mr., Ms., or Mrs., depends on who you're talking to. It's probably used the most often. It is used when you address someone elder, or if you don't know this person well (=stranger), or if the person is a female (and that you're not close enough to her to call her otherwise).
Usage: (first-name) + "-san"
It could also be used by old traditional families to address their own family (usually, you don't use "-san" to address a close family member) For example, it's possible for Seiji's sisters to call him 'Seiji-san')
This is the honorable form of "-san". You won't use it really often, except in business. It is used also to address someone from a higher rank (such as the president of the company) or to your customers (You'll be called "-sama" by the Japanese salesperson), or sometimes, to the boss (not always, depends on how the boss would like someone to call them).
Another possibility is that it's used by someone grows up in a old traditional family (for example, Seiji's elder sister probably address all others with "-sama").
It is usually used with boys (ages around or younger than elementary schools).
usage (last name) + "-Kun":
It is also be used by the teacher to address students, boss to address the subordinates (in these cases, it could be used on both males and females).
Calling someone -kun implies that you're older than the one to be addressed, and is not very respecting. The other troopers were surprised that Touma's mother called him 'Touma-kun' because someone at Touma's age are geneally not called by this addressing anymore (that's why Touma got teased.) And I would say that the troopers won't use -kun to address each other, unless they mean to tease!
It is used primarily with girls (in lower or middle elementary school), or with really young children (male or female, around or younger than kindergarden).
It could sometimes be used by someone really really close (such as lovers calling each other, usually only male to female, however) to show the intimacy, but not always.
As "-kun", girls may hate or feel embarrassed to be called so when they grow up. It's virturely impossible for the troopers to call each other "-chan", unless 1. they're mad with each other and try to pick up a fight.
2. they're teasing each other (although they know that the other might get so angry).
3. there is a yaoi relationship (however, usually only the receptive person was being addressed -chan, and even the receptive person would protest to be addressed so sometimes)
It should be noted that: with "-chan", it is sometimes used after the short of a firstname. For example, Seiji is more likely to be called Sei-chan, instead of Seiji-chan. Why? It's a little difficult to explain. It's just the way is. You short some names but not the other in a certain ways (e.g., Caroline to Carol)
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