Sama is the respectful version of san, mostly used in business and clientele context. This is since the implied superiority of the guest or customer is very strong. When you … See more

The informal kun (君) is strictly reserved to young men or juniors although, in a business context, young women can be called “kun” by their superior. Once again, you should … See more

Chan, the childish version of san, refers to children and girls. The change from “s” sound to “ch” is considered cute in Japanese. Like for kun, friends and lovers can also ad… See more

What about foreigners? Very often, foreigners feel confused and surprised to hear people addressing others with their family name. Japanese are not always at ease when … See more