Nominal suffixes in Japanese. How and when to use nominal suffixes

When preparing to publish text on Nippon.com, we strive to make it clear, informative, and consistent. To ensure uniformity of articles with the participation of many people in the preparation, including freelance translators, proofreaders, and editors, we have defined a certain set of stylistic rules.

The rules for the English version were created long before Nippon.com went online in 2011, and were used during the editing of Japan Echo, the magazine that preceded the online resource. From 1974 to 1979, the rules specified that Japanese names should be written in accordance with Western practice - the personal name precedes the surname. However, starting with the release of Vol. 7, No. 1, spring edition of 1980, the order was changed, and the surname began to be written before the name, as the Japanese themselves do. This rule has not changed since then (editors are generally conservative, and for them to change something, a strong argument is needed).

Spring 1980 issue of Japan Echo showing the new rule for writing Japanese names, below is the previous 1979 issue with the old rule

This rule has recently been in the news after Foreign Minister Kono Taro expressed a desire at a May 21 press conference for journalists writing about Japan in foreign languages ​​to use the Japanese spelling order "last name-first name", as they already do in texts with Chinese, Korean and other names in languages ​​where the surname is traditionally written first. He said it would make sense to write about Japanese Prime Minister "Abe Shinzo" in the same way one writes "Chinese President Xi Jinping" or "ROK President Moon Jae-in."

Nominal suffix 殿 (どの, dono)

This very old nominal suffix is ​​the predecessor of the suffixes we know today, such as さん (san), 君 (くん,kun), or ちゃん (chan). The suffix 殿 (どの, dono) was used to denote well-fed, portly gentlemen, literally “those with large buttocks” (this may sound strange, but it is true).

Here's how it happened: the character 殿 (どの) comes from the character 臀 (しり, shiri), which means “buttocks.” If you have large buttocks, you sit on them with stability and confidence. Therefore, the character 殿 has an indirect reference to a large strong house. Why? Because a big strong house is stable and strong, just like a heavy-set person.

Going back to those days, let's think about who could reside in large, rich houses such as palaces, sanctuaries or temples? Of course, these are people from privileged classes, high-ranking members of society.

We are approaching the end. In Japan it was considered rude to be too direct. So, calling a person from a privileged class by name was already rude. Thus, people began to call them family estates to soften the appeal. For example, not Tanaka, but coming from Tanaka's house.

Over time, the suffix 殿 came to be used to refer to government officials, such as the emperor's chief advisor, for example. At first, the honorific was used mainly in writing, but people began to use it in spoken language. Eventually, the suffix 殿 began to be used by ordinary people, and this reduced the amount of respect it was given.

The Japanese language needed a new word to take the place of 殿 and carry the same meaning, and so the nominal suffix 様 (さま, sama) was born.

Nominal suffixes in Japanese. How the suffix 殿 (どの) is used in everyday life

As you have seen, the suffix 殿 has undergone many changes. Even though this is an incredibly old call, it still exists. Here are some usage points:

• Typically 殿 is used in writing rather than spoken language.
• 殿 is usually used after a full name.
• Sometimes the suffix 殿 is used after a position (without indicating the person's last name), for example 部長殿 (ぶちょうどの, buchodono, respected director).
• In business/official documents, 殿 may sometimes be used instead of 様 (さま, sama), although the suffix 様 is more common. More and more companies and government organizations are using 様.
• However, citizens can still use the suffix 殿 when writing a letter to a government agency.
• In situations where 殿 would be used in writing, in colloquial speech it is replaced with the suffixes 様(さま, sama) or さん(san).
• The suffix 殿 is used as an address, usually in certificates and diplomas. When an award ceremony or diploma issuance takes place, the person’s name is read out with the suffix 殿, without replacing it with 様.
• 殿 can be used in a sarcastic context when someone is being arrogant.

Nominal suffix 様（さま, sama）

When the suffix 殿(どの） became too common, a new word was needed to express the nobility of the one being addressed. Thus, during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), if you wanted to avoid referring to some gentleman by name, you used the suffix 様 (さま).The character 様 was originally written differently, and it was used when one wanted to talk about someone indirectly. At that time, 様 meant “somewhere out there,” so it was more like talking about a location, not about a specific person.

But, as with 殿, people started using 様 as a noun suffix. And if adding 殿 was a polite form of address, such as “Tanaka house,” then 様 was an even more polite form. Instead of calling someone "Tanaka house", they called it "around Tanaka house".

To show the actual use of this suffix at that time, here are some examples. Thus, the emperor who lived in the imperial palace was addressed as 御所様 (ごしょさま, goshosama) or 大御所様（たいごしょさま, taigoshosama). And the daimyo (class of feudal samurai) who lived in 屋形号 (やかたごう, yakatagou) was called 屋形様 (やかたさま, yakatasama).

How honorable was the new nominal suffix 様? Portuguese books on Japanese grammar written during the Edo period (1603-1868) highlight four politeness suffixes used at that time: 殿（どの, dono), 様（さま, sama), 公 (きみ, kimi), and 老（ろう, rou). The most honorable suffix was 様, not 殿. This was the result of the 殿 suffix being used by common people. He immediately lost his significance.

The suffix 様 had different ways of writing, depending on what degree of politeness the speaker wanted to convey. The image below shows variations of its spelling.

In those days, when writing a letter to someone, the character 様 was written in such a way as to take into account the relationship between the people in the correspondence. As you can see in the image, the character 様 is written in eight different ways, and each subsequent spelling is a little rougher and more sketchy. So, when addressing someone in correspondence, you wrote the character 様 in a way that expresses the degree of your closeness to the person. The following will give different names for the suffix 様 depending on its spelling and examples of its use.

1. 永様 (えいざま/えいさま, eizama/eisama) : Written in kaisho (standard style), printed handwriting. Writing in this style turns the lower right radical into 永, which is the obsolete/original way of writing the character 様. Very respectful address. This writing method is used when the recipient of the letter is of higher status than the one writing the letter.
2. 永様 (えいざま/えいさま, eizama/eisama) : A method similar to the above, but less elaborate and clear, which therefore expresses less respect.
3. 次様 (つぎざま/つぎさま, tsugizama/tsugisama) : The lower right radical 永 becomes 次. This treatment is used to refer to people who are slightly higher in social status or to equals.
4. 美様 (びざま, hizama) : The right side of the character 様 is written as 美 in sosho style (i.e. italic, cursive). This way of writing is similar to the previous one (次様), but a little less respectful.
5. 平様 (ひらざま, hirazama) : This writing method is fragmented, unlike those listed above, it was intended for communication with equals or with those of lower social status.
6. 平様 (ひらざま, hirazama) : The writing method becomes a little more deformed, and thus the recipient is given a little less respect.
7. 平様 (ひらざま, hirazama) : Another way of writing 平様 (ひらざま, hirazama), even more deformed and, accordingly, even less polite.
8. 蹲様 (つくばいざま, tsukubaizama) : Using this method of address was quite rude. The name 蹲様 (つくばいざま) means that the person being addressed “lies on his hands and knees” while making a humiliating bow called 土下座 (どげざ, dogeza).

There are also two more types of writing the address 様, which were not shown in the figure, but which are relevant for our time:

• 水様 (みずざま/みずさま, mizuzama/mizusama) : This is the same 様 that we use today. In earlier times it was used to refer to people of lower social status.
• さま/サマ(sama) : you can write a message to your friend using 様 kana. But remember, 様 written in alphabet does not express respect, so in more formal situations, use the hieroglyphic spelling.

Japanese nominal suffixes. How 様(さま, sama) is used in everyday life

Although 様 is a very respectful form of address and it may seem like something you would never use, there are times when it is appropriate. Here are some examples of when to address a person with the honorific suffix 様:

• Usually this nominal suffix is ​​used after the full name or after the surname
• Hospital name signs may be written 様, but the more common suffix is ​​殿.
• In the media, they use the 様 suffix when talking about members of the imperial family, even if they are talking about a child.
• In electronic correspondence when contacting clients, customers or superiors.
• It is incorrect to use the 様 suffix after a position, but it is possible to use the 様 suffix after a position followed by a name. For example: 部長のコウイチ様(ぶちょうのコウイチさま, butyou no koiti-sama) “department head Koichi.”

Interesting Facts:

• Organizations such as the Japanese Communist Party, which believes that all people are equal, do not use the suffix 様 even when talking about the emperor.
• National organizations and the imperial family do not use the 様 suffix when referring to the emperor. Instead, they use 陛下(へいか, heika) “His Majesty” or 殿下(でんか, denka) “His Highness.”

Nominal suffix さん(san)

Eventually, the noble, honorable nominal suffix 様 fell into the hands of the common people. But unlike 殿, which lost its status as number one, 様 remained intact because, once in common use, it became the suffix さん(san), losing the vowel あ at the end.

That's the whole story of the origin of the most famous nominal suffix.

Japanese nominal suffixes. How is さん used in everyday life?

The nominal suffix さん is universal. It can be used on men and women, young and old, for everyone. You'll need to use this call quite often, but to make sure you use it correctly, try to follow these rules:

• さん is used for both men and women, but at school さん is spoken mainly for girls, while for boys the suffix くん is used.
• Don't use さん (or any other nominal suffix) when talking about yourself.
• Use さん when communicating with strangers or someone with whom you are not in a close relationship.
• さん can be used to show respect to someone who has a higher status than you.
• Usually the suffix さん is used after the last name, but if you know the person well enough, you can use the suffix さん after the given name. But make sure the person considers your relationship as close as you do.
• Meanwhile, it is common for Japanese to add the suffix さん after the name when talking about foreigners, because most Japanese know that unlike Japan, where a person is called by his last name, in other countries it is common to call a person by his given name.
• Some people add the suffix さん when talking about companies, groups, and teams. This is to be polite when talking to someone who works for this company.
• The suffix さん is used to refer to family members, especially to elders, for example: お父さん (おとうさん, otousan) “father”, お母さん (おかあさん, okaasan) “mother”, お姉さん (おねえさん, oneesan) “elder sister”, etc. . Previously, the suffix 様 was used in these cases, but now the address お母様(おかあさま, okaasama) sounds archaic.
• Recently, some young people have been calling theirs not 赤ちゃん(あかちゃん, akachyan) “baby”, but 赤さん (あかさん, aka-san), because it sounds funny.
• It is also a common custom to add the suffix さん to animal names, especially when talking to children.
• Similarly, you can add the suffix さん to the names of inanimate objects, such as 冷蔵庫さん (れいぞうこさん, reizooko-san) “Mr. Fridge” or おいもさん (oimo-san) “Mrs. Potato”. It sounds polite, sweet, and kids love it.
• Many professions end with the suffix さん, such as 本屋さん (ほんやさん, hon'ya-san) “bookseller.”

Meaning

Inside any Japanese name certain information is encrypted, which comes in several types:

• regalia and insignia;
• natural phenomena;
• moral principles and respect for human rights;
• numbers and other numerical indicators.

From the first category, we can recall the common endings of many names - 部 - be (a person who practices a certain craft) and 助 - suke (involved in the administration of the armed forces): Yumibe (shooter), Daisuke (excellent assistant) and so on.

The meanings of Japanese names of the second type are names of flowers, names of rocks and caves, animal names, and so on: Hanako (flower child, because 花 - hana - flower).

The third group is the qualities of human character: courage, responsiveness, kindness, and so on (for example, Makoto is honest or Takeshi is strong like bamboo). The fourth is numbers and numbers. So, Ichiro is a Japanese name, translated from Japanese as “first son”, because 郎 - ichi - one.

Japanese names have another interesting feature. One word with a specific meaning can easily change into another from the slightest fluctuation in the intonation of the voice. This also applies to proper names. Although they contain one hieroglyph, it is not always easy to read. For example, 東 - east - with the slightest mistake can become both Higashi and Azuma, that is, two completely different names.

Nominal suffix ちゃん (chan)

The exact origin of the suffix ちゃん(chan) is unknown, but a popular version is that ちゃん is the suffix さん distorted in children's speech. There is logic to this. When there is a word that everyone knows, children try to repeat it, but they cannot always pronounce it correctly. In Japan, children have trouble pronouncing the sounds さしすせそ/たちつてと(sa shi su se so/ta chi tsu te to), and unwittingly transform them into しゃししゅしぇしょ/ちゃちちゅちぇちょ(sha shi shu sye sho/cha chi chu che cho). So さ becomes ちゃ and suddenly we have a suffix to name children and small and cute things.

Japanese nominal suffixes. How is ちゃん used in everyday life?

We are on shaky ground, be careful with this suffix. You can't use it with everyone. This suffix is ​​a term of endearment between family members, close friends, lovers, and is also used for pets. Use with caution!

• The suffix ちゃん is never used to refer to someone who is senior to you in position. Would you call your boss “sweetie”? Make sure you know the person really well before adding the suffix ちゃん to ​​their name.
• The suffix ちゃん is common in family relationships. You can often hear children call their grandparents おじいちゃん (ojiichyan) and おばあちゃん (obaachyan), and their brothers and sisters おにいちゃん (oniichyan) and おねえちゃん (oneechyan). Sometimes they call mom and dad おかあちゃん (okaachyan) and おとうちゃん (otouchyan), but this is less common.
• The suffix ちゃん is usually attached to the given name rather than the surname. Sometimes the name is shortened to make it sound even sweeter, so コウイチちゃん (kouiti chyan, Koichi-chan) becomes コウちゃん (kou chyan, Ko-chan).
• If you use this suffix with a surname, it will be equivalent to a nickname in Russian. Example: 森ちゃん (もりちゃん, mori-chyan, Mori-chan)
• Typically, this suffix is ​​used to refer to girls rather than boys, but can also be used to refer to boys (especially in childhood).
• People from the Kansai region, especially in Osaka, add the suffix ちゃん to ​​everything. あめちゃん (ame-chyan) “Miss little candy”, イモちゃん (imo-chyan) “Miss little potato”, etc.
• In fact, there is nothing wrong with adding the suffix ちゃん to ​​your own name. If other people give you a nickname with the suffix ちゃん, you can refer to yourself in the third person among them.

Women's

When choosing a translation of a name, many prefer to proceed from the meaning of the root of the word. Kanji is often used for writing when translating. Popular options:

• Sasha (protective) – Mamoka (守花);
• Nastya (resurrected) – Fukkatsumi (復活美);
• Anya (merciful) – Jihiko (慈悲子);
• Faith – Shinkori (信仰里);
• Dasha (fire) – Ohiko (大火子);
• Ira (universe) – Sekai (世界);
• Ksyusha (other) – Horomi (放浪美);
• Lyuba – Ayumi (愛弓);
• Masha (stubbornness) – Nigai (苦い);
• Nadya - Nozomi (望美);
• Natasha (soulmate) – Umari (生ま里);
• Olya (light) – Hikari (光り);
• Sveta (light) – Hikaru (光る);
• Tanya (commanding) – Jeshiko (上司子);
• Julia (soft) – Nami (波).

Japanese alphabet hiragana

Nominal suffix たん、タン(tan)

And it just so happened that さま gave birth to さん, さん gave birth to ちゃん, and ちゃん gave birth to たん(tan). And if ちゃん is a child's version of the suffix さん, then たん turns out to be a child's version of a child's version! If you want to sound cute, you can't think of anything better. This suffix is ​​not common in everyday speech. Adults use the suffix たん when talking to children, and there are also a couple of cartoon characters: ノンタン (non-tan) and うーたん (uu-tan). Except for these cases, the use of たん is very limited.

Japanese nominal suffixes. How is たん used in everyday life?

Here are the situations in which you might encounter the suffix たん:

• People who are in love with each other can use the suffix たん when addressing each other. This usually happens in a private setting, since it is not customary for adults to call each other “babies” in a public place. Although it depends on the person.
• It is quite rare for the suffix たん to be added to one's own name, and is only common among women. Hostesses and prostitutes add たん to their name because clients like it.
• Some pop stars add this suffix to their nicknames. This is what Mizumori Ado, a 1970s star, did and took the pseudonym 亜土タン(あどたん, ado-tan)
• In 2015, among approximately sixty other nominees, the suffix たん was presented as one of the most popular new buzzwords of the year.
• Of course, there are many anime characters that have the たん suffix in their name, such as さくらタン (sakura-tan) from Sakura the Card Catcher and ブリジットタン (burijitto-tan) from Guilty Gear. But sometimes even politicians get the nickname たん when the media thinks it is necessary, as happened with Sato Yukari in 2005, when the press dubbed her Yukari-tan.
• The suffix たん is widely used in otaku names.
• On the popular Japanese website “2ch,” people often use the suffix たん in their conversations to make fun of each other.
• Due to Twitter's character limit, people sometimes use たん instead of ちゃん.

Popular Japanese names and their meanings

Since 2005, the Japanese company Benesse Corporation has annually published a ranking of popular Japanese names among newborns. In 2011, from January 1 to May 31, 34,500 people were born, of which 17,959 were boys and 16,541 were girls.

The following are popular Japanese names and their meanings, as well as transcription and the number of children born with that name.

Popular Japanese male names

Popular Japanese female names

Nominal suffix 君（くん, kun）

This word is both a suffix and an independent part of speech (noun). You've probably come across the word 君 (くん, kun) in romantic anime about school, where the teacher called all the cute boys “kun.” But くん was not always a nominal suffix. It began life (and continues) primarily as a noun 君 (きみ, kimi). Today we translate this address simply as “you”.

きみ originally translated as “high class,” and eventually became a noun suffix that was added to goods and places that were considered superior or valuable. Pretty soon, きみ became associated with people who were loved and respected, and women began using it for the men they loved.

As society developed and a ruling class formed, the use of the suffix expanded and began to be applied to heads of government. The suffix きみ was used in conversation about the emperor, leaders of influential families and clans, and eventually entire clans became bearers of the suffix きみ. It was actually a different きみ, for which the character 公 was used; over time, however, 公 and 君 were mixed together.

Of course, words don't stay the same for long, and eventually the high, respectful level of 君 was converted into the second person pronoun "you". Suddenly the use of the word became widespread. Because it showed love and respect, the suffix きみ carried an honorific connotation.

Eventually, the honorific connotation きみ was almost completely lost, and this nominal suffix became the common "you", equivalent to 僕 (ぼく, boku) "I".

All of these seismic shifts in the word きみ occurred before the end of the Edo period. But there was one more change in store: the one we had been waiting for. When the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end, the class of brutal samurai ceased to exist. At this time, the word 君 began to be read in its second reading くん, and this indirectly spoke of the need to respect everyone, without regard to the conventions of the confusing class hierarchy. The Chairman of the Japanese Diet began using 君 to refer to members of parliament, a tradition that continues to this day.

Japanese nominal suffixes. How is 君 used in everyday life?

This suffix is ​​used throughout Japan for all people, young and old, and not just when talking about the emperor and members of parliament. Here are some usage notes:

• 君 is a more informal suffix than さん.
• The suffix 君 is not used with those who are higher in social status than you.
• The suffix 君 can be used after the surname or after the given name.
• Typically this suffix is ​​used between people of equal social status.
• This suffix can be used for either gender, especially in formal and business situations, but in everyday life 君 is most often used for boys and men.
• At Keio University, both teachers and students address each other using the suffix 君, and only the founder of the university, Fukuzawa Yukichi, is called 先生 (せんせい, sensei). This is a rare occurrence and no other school has such equality practices.
• The child version of this suffix is ​​きゅん (kyun). Since the suffix たん is more common when talking about female anime characters, きゅん was made specifically for discussing male characters. You are unlikely to encounter this suffix outside the Internet.

Surnames

Abe - 阿部 - corner, shadow; Akiyama sector - 秋山 - autumn + mountainAndo: - 安藤 - calm + wisteriaAoki - 青木 - green, young + treeArai - 新井 - new wellArai - 荒井 - wild wellAraki - 荒木 - wild + treeAsano - 浅野／淺野 - small + [uncultivated] field; plainBaba - 馬場 - horse + placeWada - 和田 - harmony + rice fieldWatanabe - 渡辺／渡邊 - to cross + surroundingsWatanabe - 渡部 - to cross + part; sector;Goto: - 後藤 - behind, future + wisteria Yokota - 横田 - side + rice field Yokoyama - 横山 - side, side of the mountain Yoshida - 吉田 - happiness + rice field Yoshikawa - 吉川 - happiness + river Yoshimura - 吉村 - happiness + village Yoshioka - 吉岡 - happiness + hillIwamoto - 岩本 - rock + baseIwasaki - 岩崎 - rock + capeIwata - 岩田 - rock + rice fieldIgarashi - 五十嵐 - 50 stormsIendo: - 遠藤 - distant + wisteriaIida - 飯田 - boiled rice, food + rice fieldIkeda -池田 - pond + rice fieldImai -今井 - now + wellInoe - 井上 - well + topIshibashi - 石橋 - stone + bridgeIshida - 石田 - stone + rice fieldIshii - 石village + wellIshikawa - 石川 - stone + riverIshihara - 石原 - stone + plain, field; steppeItikawa - 市川 - city + riverIto - 伊東 - that, he + eastIto: - 伊藤 - And + wisteriaKawaguchi - 川口 - river + mouth, entranceKawakami - 川上 - river + topKawamura - 川村 - river + villageKawasaki - 川崎 - river + cape Kamata - 鎌田- sickle, scythe + rice fieldKaneko - 金子 - gold + childKatayama - 片山 - piece + mountainKato: - 加藤 - add + wisteriaKikuchi - 菊地 - chrysanthemum + earthKikuchi - 菊池 - chrysanthemum + pondKimura - 木村 - tree + villageKinoshita -木下 - tree + under , bottomKitamura - 北村 - north + villageKo:no - 河野 - river + [uncultivated] field; plainKobayashi - 小林 - small forestKojima - 小島 - small + islandKoike - 小池 - small + pondKomatsu - 小松 - small pineKondo - 近藤 - close + wisteriaKonishi - 小西 - small + westKoyama - 小山 - small mountainKubo - 久保— long + support Kubota — 久保田 — long + maintain + rice field Kudo: - 工藤 - worker + wisteria Kumagai - 熊谷 - bear + valleyKurihara - 栗原 - chestnut + plain, field; steppe Kuroda - 黒田 - black rice field Maruyama - 丸山 - round + mountain Masuda - 増田 - increase + rice field Matsubara - 松原 - pine + plain, field; steppeMatsuda - 松田 - pine + rice fieldMatsui - 松井 - pine + wellMatsumoto - 松本 - pine + baseMatsumura - 松村 - pine + villageMatsuo - 松尾 - pine + tailMatsuoka - 松岡 - pine + hillMatsushita - 松下 - pine + under, bottomMatsuura - 松浦 - pine + Maeda Bay - 前田 - behind + rice field Mizuno - 水野 - water + [uncultivated] field; plainMinami - 南 - southMiura - 三浦 - three baysMiyazaki - 宮崎 - temple, palace + capeMiyake - 三宅 - three housesMiyamoto - 宮本 - temple, palace + baseMiyata - 宮田 - temple, palace + rice fieldMori - 森 - forestMorimoto - 森本 - forest + baseMorita - 森田 - forest + rice fieldMochizuki - 望月 - full moonMurakami - 村上 - village + topMurata - 村田 - village + rice fieldNagai - 永井 - eternal wellNagata - 永田 - eternal rice fieldNaito - 内藤 - inside + wisteriaNakagawa - 中川 - middle + river Nakajima／Nakashima -中島 - middle + island Nakamura - 中村 - middle + village Nakanishi - 中西 - west + middle Nakano - 中野 - middle + [uncultivated] field; plain Nakata／ Nakada - 中田 - middle + rice field Nakayama - 中山 - middle + mountain Narita - 成田 - form + rice field Nishida - 西田 - west + rice field Nishikawa - 西川 - west + Nishimura River - 西村 - west + village Nishiyama - 西山 - west + Mount Noguchi - 野口- [uncultivated] field; plain + mouth, entrance Noda - 野田 - [uncultivated] field; plain + rice field Nomura - 野村 - [uncultivated] field; plain + villageOgawa - 小川 - small riverOda - 小田 - small rice fieldOzawa - 小沢／小澤 - small swampOzaki - 尾崎 - tail + capeOka - 岡 - hillOkada - 岡田 - hill + rice fieldOkazaki - 岡崎 - hill + capeOkamoto -岡本 - hill + baseOkumura — 奥村 — deep (hidden) + village It — 小野 — small + [uncultivated] field; plainOoishi - 大石 - large stoneOokubo - 大久保 - large + long + supportOomori - 大森 - large forestOonishi - 大西 - large westOono - 大野 - large + [uncultivated] field; plainOosawa - 大沢／大澤 - large swampOoshima - 大島 - large islandOota - 太田 - large + rice fieldOotani - 大谷 - large valleyOohashi - 大橋 - large bridgeOotsuka - 大塚 - large + hillSawada - 沢田／澤田- swamp + rice fieldSaito: - 斉藤／齊藤- equal + wisteriaSaito: - 斎藤／齋藤 - purification (religious) + wisteriaSakai - 酒井 - alcohol + wellSakamoto - 坂本 - slope + baseSakurai - 桜井／櫻井 - sakura + wellSano - 佐野 - assistant + [impossible made] field; plain Sasaki - 佐々木 - helpers + tree Sato: - 佐藤 - helper + wisteria Shibata - 柴田 - brushwood + rice field Shimada - 島田 - island + rice field Shimizu - 清水 - clear water Shinohara - 篠原 - low-growing bamboo + plain, field; steppeSugawara - 菅原 - sedge + plain, field; steppe Sugimoto - 杉本 - Japanese cedar + roots Sugiyama - 杉山 - Japanese cedar + mountain Suzuki - 鈴木 - bell (bell) + tree Suto/Sudo - 須藤 - certainly + wisteria Seki - 関／關 - Outpost; barrierTaguchi - 田口 - rice floor + mouthTakagi - 高木 - tall treeTakada／Takata - 高田 - tall + rice fieldTakano - 高野 - tall + [uncultivated] field; plain Takahashi - 高橋 - high + bridge Takayama - 高山 - high mountain Takeda - 武田 - military + rice field Takeuchi - 竹内 - bamboo + inside Tamura - 田村 - rice field + village Tanabe - 田辺／田邊 - rice field + surroundings Tanaka - 田中 - rice field + middle Taniguchi - 谷口- valley + mouth, entrance Chiba - 千葉 - thousand leaves Uchida - 内田 - inside + rice field Uchiyama - 内山 - inside + Mount Ueda/Ueta - 上田 - top + rice field Ueno - 上野 - top + [uncultivated] field; Fujiwara plain - 藤原 - wisteria + plain, field; steppeFujii - 藤井 - wisteria + wellFujimoto - 藤本 - wisteria + baseFujita - 藤田 - wisteria + rice fieldFukuda - 福田 - happiness, well-being + rice fieldFukui - 福井 - happiness, well-being + wellFukushima - 福島 - happiness, well-being + Furukawa island — 古川 — old river Hagiwara — 萩原 — bicolor lespedeza + plain, field; steppeHamada - 浜田／濱田 - coast + rice fieldHara - 原 - plain, field; steppeHarada - 原田 - plain, field; steppe + rice fieldHashimoto - 橋本 - bridge + baseHasegawa - 長谷川 - long + valley + riverHattori - 服部 - clothes, subordinate + part; sector; Hayakawa - 早川 - early + river Hayashi - 林 - forest Higuchi - 樋口 - gutter; drain + mouth, entranceHirai - 平井 - flat wellHirano - 平野 - flat + [uncultivated] field; plainHirata - 平田 - flat + rice fieldHirose - 広瀬／廣瀬 - wide fast currentHomma - 本間 - base + gap, room, luckHonda - 本田 - base + rice fieldHori - 堀 - channelHoshino - 星野 - star + [uncultivated] field; plainTsuji - 辻 - Tsuchiya street - 土屋 - earth + houseYamaguchi - 山口 - mountain + mouth, entranceYamada - 山田 - mountain + rice fieldYamazaki／ Yamasaki - 山崎 - mountain + capeYamamoto - 山本 - mountain + baseYamanaka - 山中 - mountain + gray DinYamashita - 山下 - mountain + under, bottomYamauchi - 山内 - mountain + insideYano - 矢野 - arrow + [uncultivated] field; plainYasuda - 安田 - calm + rice field

Final notes on the use of Japanese nominal suffixes

This article lists the main nominal suffixes that you may encounter in everyday life. Before we finish, here are a few notes about politeness in Japanese in general to help you use suffixes more correctly:

• If you are talking about someone who belongs to your circle, for example, the company you work for, and the person speaking to you is outside of this group, do not use nominal politeness suffixes regarding your colleagues, because it is perceived as if you added the suffix さん to your name.
• When people's names are listed, for example in a news report, honorific suffixes are not indicated, but afterward they are marked 敬称略 (けいしょうりゃく, keisyouryaku) “politeness suffixes omitted.”
• Nominal suffixes that express respect can be used in the opposite way, for example to ridicule someone. If you want to make fun of someone, put 様 at the end of their name. This will sound sarcastic.

*article translated from www.tofugu.com

Several variations of one name

One Japanese name can be depicted in several ways. The most popular is the use of many types of writing. Today, hiragana, katakana and two variants of writing hieroglyphs (new or outdated) are used for these purposes.

Sometimes, if the parents wish, the child is called one of the few Japanese names, the meaning of which is so rare that it is necessary to use hieroglyphs that have long since fallen into disuse. For these purposes, there is a specific list of 人名用漢字 - Jimmeiye kanji. It contains 862 hieroglyphs designed specifically for composing names. This list regularly interacted with another one that performed opposite functions - 常用漢字表- Jie e kanjihe (hieroglyphs for daily writing). Written signs regularly drifted from one to another, and carriers of not the most positive meaning gradually disappeared from history.

Download a list of Japanese nominal suffixes

It can be hard to keep all those noun suffixes in your head, especially if you need to use them in the moment and don't have time to figure them out (for example, you're in Tokyo and meeting a group of people). In this case, it will be useful to print out a list of nominal suffixes or save them on your smartphone so that you always have access to them. This way you will be able to repeat what you have learned in a timely manner and correctly use forms of politeness.

We also recommend that you sign up for the main course of our school “Japanese for beginners in three steps” using the link.

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Men's

A list of male names based on the meaning of the root:

• Sasha (protective) - Mamoru;
• Arkady (contented country) – Shiavakuni;
• Vitya (winner) – Serisha;
• Volodya (owner) – Heivanushi;
• George (plowman) – Nofu;
• Danya (divine judgment) - Kamikoto;
• Dima (gift of earth) – Kajitsu;
• Zhenya (aristocrat) – Reidenshi;
• Vanya (divine grace) – Kaminoonte;
• Ilya (city defense) – Yesaischu;
• Kostya (constancy) – Eizoku;
• Max (greatest) – Mattakushi;
• Kolya (human triumph) – Hitonoseri;
• Pasha (junior) - Seshi;
• Stanislav (glorious) - Yumainar;
• Yaroslav (glorious) - Akarumey.

Kanji is used in translation