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[JbstormburstADV]

So yeah, the stuff mentioned outside the OP is usually one of the following;

a) antiquated beyond belief (-dono is the most well known example)

b) diminutives (and therefore, less formal versions) of what is in the OP (-chin, -tan, and -rin are all diminutives of -chan)

c) formal stuff you don't see in the casual environment, as either keigo (the formal way of speaking [-sama is the best known example when used in the proper context]} or integrated into an institution or occupation (-taicho is used in the military and police)

 

[Kurita]

One of the first things I've learned in school is that a proper translation shouldn't keep the honorifics.
I kinda get that some people want them but you know, you always have to do some sacrifices when you translate something, regardless of the language. This is one of them.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

-chan is usually used for kids or for girls.
-kun is for boys.
-san is genderless. It is a formal honorific.

This guide can help you understand more about Japanese honorifics.

And I have never understood why they keep honorifics on the Persona English dubs.

Because most of the fanbase since Persona 3 are Japanophiles.

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

Because most of the fanbase since Persona 3 are Japanophiles.

To be fair we were all Japanophiles back in the day of Persona 1 too.

 

[Porcile]

Always add -San to your name when talking about yourself. ALWAYS.

 

[CraigerGamer]

Always add -San to your name when talking about yourself. ALWAYS.

Is this like talking about yourself in 3rd person? Is it just as awkward in Japanese as it is in English??

 

[Nikodemos]

What about -shi? I've always seen it used in an otaku context.

 

[Baconsaurus Rex]

moshi moshi

 

[FSLink]

We're on page two and nobody's mentioned that P4's instruction manual has an explanation of all the relevant honourifics.

I mean, I've never checked P4G for this because I don't have it, but there's decent odds it's in there too.

You mean page 1.

I don't think P4G has it.

 

[Huevos de Oro]

moshi moshi

Yes? Hello? This is baka.

 

[The Omega Man]

Pfffff I speak the classic and most pure form of Japanese so I avoid these -san and -chan crap and stick to the superior -dono

 

[Kurita]

What about -shi? I've always seen it used in an otaku context.

It's kinda like "Mr.".

-san isn't always "Mr./Mrs./Miss" by the way. It's also a "neutral" honorific you can use when you're not that close with the person you're referring to.
Like, you have a classmate named Tanaka but you don't really know him. In this situation you say Tanaka-san but that doesn't become Mr.Tanaka in English, just Tanaka.

 

[Htown]

We're on page two and nobody's mentioned that P4's instruction manual has an explanation of all the relevant honourifics.

I mean, I've never checked P4G for this because I don't have it, but there's decent odds it's in there too.

how is this any different from "keikaku means plan"?

 

[PSqueak]

-san
Sempei
Sensai
-chan
-kun
Etc
Ect

I'm playing Persona 4 The Golden and I see a whole bunch of honorifics and I really don't know what to think of them. Do some show who is inherently the leader? Are they gender specific? Can one go from a -San to a -kun? Sometimes the honorific seems given out of respect, other times it's almost done to mock the person. I'd love to know more.

Spoiler

I know I could google all this but I thought I would get more subtle and specific answers asking GAF.

My understanding:

Sempai: senior (as in school junio-senior, someone in a superior position to you)
Sensei: literally means teacher.
Chan: an acquitance younger than you.
San: an acquitance older than you, also used when you and said person are both adults.
Kun: an acquitance that is your same age or same age range, i think it's only used with teens-young adults

 

[tarheel91]

Sorry to rain on the joke parade, but for a serious answer...

-san = Mr/Mrs
-senpai = someone in a position of seniority over you (e.g. boss, upperclassman)
sensei - a teacher. also used for doctors and learned people basically.
-chan = a friendly/familiar suffix used usually for girls
-kun = a friendly/familiar suffix used usually for boys

This is correct. And just to clarify, since a lot of folks seem to miss this one--girls can be called -kun as well (usually in the workplace by people higher in the food chain structurally).

Also i would argue depending on circumstances, you could call a boss a sempai, but usually you dont.

Yep, wanted to point this out. People are probably most used to seeing -kun being used with male friends, but it's also used to denote who is subordinate in a working relationship. Boss is typically shochou/buchou/shachou/kaichou etc. depending on his position.

This summary also leaves out sama, which people in this thread seem to be misunderstanding as well. While the elderly are certainly one group it's used with, it's just more generally a super respectful san. Anyone deserving more than the usual respect who doesn't have a role specific title (e.g. senpai, kaichou, etc.), I'd say. One common use is okyaku-sama aka customer (allthough okyaku-san is also used; it's all context dependent).

 

[StayDead]

It's kinda like "Mr.".

-san isn't always "Mr./Mrs./Miss" by the way. It's also a "neutral" honorific you can use when you're not that close with the person you're referring to.
Like, you have a classmate named Tanaka but you don't really know him. In this situation you say Tanaka-san but that doesn't become Mr.Tanaka in English, just Tanaka.

Also if I've taught myself correctly over the past 4-5 years, kun can also refer to girls which is something a lot of people don't really realise/learn. It's certainly not as common and usually it seems to be a thing older men seem to say, but it's certainly a thing.

My personal favourite although extremely informal and mainly used in fandoms is -tan. -tan is love, -tan is life.

 

[teruterubozu]

I just call everyone ue-sama.

 

[Soi-Fong]

This is just too freaking amazing..

 

[Mr. Giggles]

Sempei means leader.

When Sempei notices you, she calls you kun.

Sempei never notices though. Even when you think she does, she doesn't truly. Sempei has a busy life.

I will make senpai acknowledge my feelings, believe it!

 

[Duane Cunningham]

So why does the bear call the protagonist sensei? Seems a little excessive doesn't it? In fact, don't the friend with headphones and the lesbian in the jumpsuit call him that too?

(Sorry, I only got to the part where you save the dark haired girl who works at her family's inn then got distracted)

 

[CraigerGamer]

Kanji-kun.

-kun is because they don't know him well? I'm curious that as the game goes on if they change from kun to chan. Or will he always be the inferiour. The 5th wheel.

I purchased the digital version of Person 4 The Golden on Vita and it didn't come with a manual.

I

 

[Angry Grimace]

Can we change Junior Member to Member-kouhai as well?

I don't think "kohai" is an honorific though.

So why does the bear call the protagonist sensei? Seems a little excessive doesn't it? In fact, don't the friend with headphones and the lesbian in the jumpsuit call him that too?

(Sorry, I only got to the part where you save the dark haired girl who works at her family's inn then got distracted)

The technical reason is because you can name the character anything you want and Teddie has to be able to call the player-character something in the battle dialogue. The in-game reason is that the player-character uses Persona powers immediately upon entering the TV world.

As for the bolded, not that there's anything wrong with that but Chie is straight and there's literally nothing in the game at all to suggest she's a lesbian.

 

[TatteredHat]

I am kaichou.

 

[rpmurphy]

I don't think "kohai" is an honorific though

I'm all for changing junior member to kōhai-kun.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I'm all for changing junior member to kōhai-kun.

My knowledge of the Japanese language is listening to people in anime and the only time I've ever heard it used is simply as a noun to refer to an underclassman whereas underclassmen themselves will call other people [name]-senpai or even just senpai as a singular title.

 

[Snkfanatic]

hahahhaha

This is amazing

 

[cntr]

Is this like talking about yourself in 3rd person? Is it just as awkward in Japanese as it is in English??

It is perfectly normal to talk about yourself in the third person. Japanese doesn't use pronouns as much as English does -- in fact, it technically doesn't have pronouns, and what we consider pronouns are grammatically nouns.

That said, using -san with your own name is incredibly arrogant.

Also if I've taught myself correctly over the past 4-5 years, kun can also refer to girls which is something a lot of people don't really realise/learn. It's certainly not as common and usually it seems to be a thing older men seem to say, but it's certainly a thing.

Superiors refer to female subordinates with -kun. Thus, a teacher would use -kun with their female students.

 

[dripdripsplash]

Here are some more educational examples on the use of "-chan" and "-sama" OP.

In this scenario, Romney-sama is using the suffix "-chan" on Obama as a way to show his endearment. Obama-chan replies to him using "-sama" as a way to show his respect. From this, we can glean that Romney fills the dominant role in this relationship. As you can see, this is much more deep and complex than English honourifics.

This is fucking hilarious bahahahahahahhaa

 

[Inquisitive_Ghost]

how is this any different from "keikaku means plan"?

"Keikaku" has a direct English counterpart; honourifics don't. But I understand people thinking they're superfluous.