さん

See also: ざん and Appendix:Variations of "san"

Japanese

Etymology 1
For pronunciation and definitions of さん – see the following entries.
【三】1
[numeral]three, 3
[numeral]third
【山】1
[suffix]Mount, Mt.
  1. suffix for names of mountains
  2. suffix for a temple's honorific mountain name
[affix]mountain
[affix]mine
[affix]temple, temple ground
[affix]Short for 比叡山 (Hieizan): Mount Hiei
【参】4
[noun](Zen Buddhism) a gathering of Zen members in meditation, preaching, and invocation
[proper noun](Chinese astronomy) the Three Stars constellation, one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions
[proper noun]a surname
[numeral](law) Financial form of 三 (san): 3, three
【産】4
[noun]production, giving birth
[noun]delivery
[noun]assets
【酸】5
[noun]sourness (quality or condition)
[noun](chemistry) acid
【賛】5
[noun]praise, tribute
[noun]inscription on picture
【餐】H
[noun]eating and drinking
(This term, さん, is the hiragana spelling of several Sino-Japanese terms.)
For a list of all kanji with on'yomi さん, not just those used in Sino-Japanese terms, see Category:Japanese kanji with on reading さん.

Etymology 2

Derived from 様 (さま) (sama).

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 (さま) (sama) is used in more formal situations, like sir.
    • More familiarly, one uses 君 (くん) (kun), especially of men, or ちゃん (chan), especially of young women and children.
  • Referring to acquanitances without using a suffix is conisidered rude, and is called 呼 (よ)び捨 (す)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 (とこや) (tokoya) (the barber shop or the hairdresser), both 床屋さんが一軒ある (inanimate ある (aru)) and 床屋さんが一人いる (animate いる (iru)) are correct.

See also


Okinawan

Noun

さん (romaji san)

  1. mountain
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