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san
What does san mean?
The default respectful name-suffix, roughly equivalent to Mr., Ms. or Mrs., used in most polite everyday interactions between adults.
"You should call your new coworker Sato-san until you know her better."
Origin
Japanese さん (san), the common polite honorific of address.
Frequently asked questions
What does -san mean?
It's the standard Japanese polite honorific attached to a name, roughly equivalent to Mr., Ms. or Mrs. in English.
How do you use -san?
Add it after someone's family or given name — 'Sato-san' — in most polite everyday interactions, especially with people you don't know well.
Is -san gender-specific?
No. Unlike Mr./Ms., -san works for anyone regardless of gender, which makes it the safe default in polite Japanese.
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