Japanese

Noun

さん ‎(romaji san)

1. 三, 参: three; 3
2. 酸: acid
3. 賛: legend; caption
4. 餐: eating and drinking

Suffix

さん ‎(romaji -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

   • 店員 (てんいん)さん

     ten'in-san

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

   • 運転手 (うんてんしゅ)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.
   • 学校 (がっこう)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)

Suffix

さん ‎(romaji -san)

1. 山: Mount, Mt.

Okinawan

Noun

さん ‎(san)

1. mountain