Authors: Dirty Japanese: Everyday Slang From "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!"

Matt Fargo (12 page)

BOOK: Matt Fargo

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Titles

keishō

Thanks to Karate Kid, everybody knows that adding “san” to Daniel’s name makes him “Mister Daniel.” But did you know that there are a bunch of other titles you can add to people’s names—and not just respectful ones either, but slang ones to use with your friends?

SENSEI

Generally used for teachers, or someone who has otherwise been a beacon of knowledge in one’s life.

SAN

Pretty much the equivalent of “Mister,” it maintains professional distance.

SAMA

“Sir/Madam.” Only for highly polite situations, or when you’re being ironic.

KUN

An affectionate ending for a friend’s name, usually a male friend who is the same age or younger than you.

CHAN

More affectionate and cuter that “kun,” and therefore often used with girls, but with boys as well, when they are being cute.

CHIN

This is a slangier version of “chan.”

TAN

And even slangier version of “chan.”

PON

A silly ending for a friend’s name, kind of dorky and fun.

Family

kazoku

Family is what it’s all about—especially in Japan, where the family unit still retains a subtle semblance of cohesiveness. When speaking about or to your own family, it’s normal to use slang titles like “my old lady” or “the geezer”—but be sure to use respectful names like “father” and “mother” when speaking about other people’s families.

Father
otōsan