Honorifics
In Japan, using honorifics is mostly out of politeness to someone and their social-status, though it can also show the nature of a relationship. When adding an honorific to one's name in Japanese, the honorific most commonly takes the form of a suffix attatched to the person's name, (Example: Sakura-san), takes place of the name completely (Example: Sensei), or becomes a title at the end of the name, (Example: Mizuki-Sensei). In anime and manga, many English translations remove important honorifics that give the feeling of the characters' relationships with one-another.
Here are some honorifics that you could easily encounter in Anime and Manga:
-chan: This is used to show endearment to someone, mostly women. This honorific can also be attached to the names of little boys, pets, and possibly with lovers.
-kun: Mostly seen on the end of boy's names to express attatchment or closeness. The suffix is also used among a group of friends (men), when speaking to someone of a lower social-status, or a person of a younger age.
Sempai: The addressee's "senior" in a group or organization. Mostly used in school toward upperclassmen, or in an office to an employee of a high job rank.
Kohai: The exact opposite of "Sempai" and is used for lowerclassmen, or for a newer employee/an employee of a lower job rank.
-san: This is an all-purpose honorific, and can be used at any time when politeness is needed in a conversation. "-san" is equivalent to Miss, Ms., Mrs., Mr., etc.
-sama: "-sama" is one level higher than "-san". It's used to suggest much respect.
-dono: This suffix comes from the word "tono" ("lord"), and is one level higher than "-sama", showing an even greater amount of respect.
Bozu: Using this honorific usually is for teasing, and not out of respect for a boy. It's equivalent to "kid", "brat", "shorty", etc.
blank: "blank" does not mean that this word would be stated at the end of the name, it just states that there isn't an honorific attatched. Someone addressing another lacking the use of honorifics suggests that the people have an intimate relationship. Usually only spouses, family, or extremely close friends give the permission to discard honorifics. The term
yobisute defines that it can either be an honor for someone to be addressed without an honorific, but when the proper intimacy hasn't been earned by the addressee, it's quite insulting.
