Keyword
-sama
Info
FrequencyTop 100
Type
Kyōiku (3rd grade) 
?
Shinjitai ?
KankenLevel 8
Heisig1003
Old form
Readings
さま
(67%)
よう
(27%)
ざま
(4%)
Composed of
tree
force of nature
water
Mnemonic

This is the kanji for the さま honorific suffix, and is typically used for individuals of a higher rank than oneself, including customers, people one greatly admires, or divine entities.

Traditionally many of such Japanese divine entities towards whom this honorific would be used were considered to be a part of the landscape. The tree on the left of this kanji is not just a simple tree — it's a place where a deity resides. The water on the bottom is not just water — it is also an embodiment of a Japanese divine spirit. They wield the force of nature as they see fit and can easily ruin you if you're rude, so show some respect and use the 〜さま honorific!

Used in vocabulary (506 in total)
state; state of affairs; appearance; look; sign; indication
Mr.; Mrs.; makes a word more polite (usu. in fixed expressions); state; situation
in order to (e.g. meet goal); so that; take care (so as); hoping or wishing for something
same; similar; (just) like; equal
various; varied; diverse; all sorts of
God; god; ace; king; superior person
pattern; figure; state; condition; conjecture of the current situation; the way it seems; model
you; you bastard; you son of a bitch; (arch.) you
(another's) daughter; young lady (of pampered upbringing); woman who has never known hardship; naive woman
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
mess; sorry state; -ways; -wards; in the act of ...; just as one is ...
bizarre; strange; eccentric; odd; queer
thank you for your hard work; good work; see you; goodbye; goodnight
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
wife; your wife; his wife; married lady; madam
state; condition; the way things should be; ideal state; truth
uniform; equal; even; common; ordinary; usual
older brother
husband; master (of a house, shop, etc.)
master; Your lordship; My lord; husband
unshapely; unsightly; clumsy; unpresentable; uncouth; awkward
I; me; self-centered man; egotistical man; pompous man
way; method; means; (technical) specification
princess; daughter of a nobleman
like; similar to; as with; in the same way
to reach the point that; to come to be that; to turn into
like; similar to; (I) think (that); (I) have a feeling (that); feels like; feels similar to
so; like that; that's right; indeed; let me see...
seeming to be; appearing to be; like; similar to; in order to (e.g. meet goal); so that
we are of equal status in this regard; we are in the same boat; the same to you; the feeling is mutual
wait-and-see (situation, stance, etc.); waiting to see (how things play out); watching developments (before acting)
that kind of; of the sort; of the kind; such
thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
to wait and see; to see how the land lies
(someone else's) child; child; kid
aspect; phase; condition; modality (philosophy)
appearing ...; looking ...; way to ...; method of ...ing; form; style
style; form; pattern
(following a verb) to be sure to; to do (something) so that ...; to make sure to; to try to
other people; others
pattern; design
diverse; varied
nobleman; dignitary; feudal lord (of the Edo period); daimyō; man brought up away from the world; arrogant man with little knowledge of the ways of the world
to tell (somebody) to (do something)
state; condition; the way things should be; ideal state; truth
care of; at the household of (when addressing letter, etc.); c-o
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
to wait and see; to see how the land lies
to assume an aspect; to take on an appearance
like this; this sort; this way
attitude to life; form of existence; way of life
pattern; design
changing completely; transformation
emperor; shogun; honored person (honoured); (another person's) wife
young master; son of a high-ranking person
manner of speaking; mode of expression; way of saying something; at the same time as speaking; as one speaks
diversity; variety
counter for people (usu. seating, reservations and such)
everyone; everybody; ladies and gentlemen
a great variety of; diversity
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
seeming to be; appearing to be; like; similar to
(I) think (that); (I) have a feeling (that); (I) fancy (that)
regular customer; valued client
a Buddha; deceased person
manner of death
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
thank you (for the meal); that was a delicious meal; thank you (for displaying lovey-dovey behaviour)
attaching the polite suffix "-sama" to somebody's name (more polite than "-san")
look of the sky; weather
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
lord; nobleman; daimyō; dignitary; master
in the same way as; just like
rearranging; remodeling; remodelling
thank you for the meal; that was a delicious meal; what a wonderful meal
other people; others
master; Your lordship; My lord; husband
striped pattern
one person; one customer; unmarried and childless older woman
beauty of style; beauty of form
while passing each other
party game in which a randomly selected king issues orders to other players
learning by watching others; learning by imitation
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
outside daimyo; non-Tokugawa daimyo; outsider; one not included in the favored (favoured) group
Ladies and Gentlemen!; all of you; everyone
identically; in the (exact) same way; similarly
such; like that; in that way
what sort; what kind
mottled pattern; patchy pattern
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
unfavourably; unfavorably; disparagingly; insultingly; ill
diversification
fraud; trickery; hoax; surely; absolutely; certainly
Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; clitoris
indescribable; having no way to express
specification document
change; alteration; modification
(another's) daughter; young lady (of pampered upbringing); woman who has never known hardship; naive woman
lady of the house
this sort of; of this kind; of the sort; such
various; varied; diverse; all sorts of
apologies for the crude food
Buddha; Shakyamuni; the historical Buddha (5th c. BCE?)
mottled pattern; patchy pattern
kid's lunch; kid's meal
so; like that; that's right; indeed; let me see...
husband; master (of a house, shop, etc.)
unshapely; unsightly; clumsy; unpresentable; uncouth; awkward
form; situation; condition
successive; consecutive; back-to-back; one after another
prince; princess
that's too bad; too bad for you!
to one's heart's content
person of importance; a somebody; absolutely; certainly; to be sure
person of high standing facing no opposition and with a warped view of reality; (lit.) naked emperor
to become good-looking; to start looking appropriate (for something)
each of the three being different from the other two; each of the three having his (her) own way
two ways (e.g. of interpreting a word); two kinds; two types
monk; priest; boy
thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
immediately; promptly
how; in what way
eccentric; queer; unconventional; peculiar; bizarre; strange
stormy; threatening
immediately; promptly
(arch.) person of high rank; (arch.) nobleman; wife of a nobleman
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
modern style; contemporary style; current fashion; verse form from the Heian and Kamakura periods consisting of 4 lines each divided into two parts of 7 and 5 syllables
what sort of; what kind of; what way
hard to believe; fabulous; unbelievable; incredible
a great variety of; all sorts or kinds of; multifarious
hopeless; good-for-nothing; incorrigible; foolish; preposterous; absurd
plentiful; lot of; much; pile of
arabesque; scrollwork
display of dolls during Hinamatsuri; Hinamatsuri (March 3); Girls' Festival; Dolls' Festival
young wife; young married woman
fabric (pattern) of human relationships
signs of rain; threat of rain
senior female worker who supervises junior employees in a domineering fashion
our gracious (e.g. Queen); honorific that attaches to name of a person or thing that has bestowed grace or favour upon you
smooth words make smooth ways; it's not what you say, it's how you say it
the other party
head over heels; headlong; head first
God and Buddha; Gods and Buddhas; one's guardian angel
inverted; upside down; reversed; back to front; wrong way round
coming home after midnight; person who comes home after midnight
stupid; meaningless; worthless; hopeless (person, situation); beyond help; beyond saving
(someone else's) child; child; kid
thank you (for the meal); that was a delicious meal; thank you (for displaying lovey-dovey behaviour)
wickedness; sideways; unreasonable
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
to tell (somebody) to (do something)
thanks for taking care of me; thanks for taking care of my loved one
farewell; adieu; goodbye; so long
in that way; like that; that way
checked pattern; chequered pattern; checks; checkers; chequers
thunder; god of thunder
living god; saintly person
ordinary; common; mediocre
snakelike; snaky; serpentine
that kind of; of the sort; of the kind; such
two ways; both ways; two kinds
such; like that; in that way
large-hearted; generous; liberal; placid; composed; cool
the sun; providence; god
like this; this sort; this way
kimono with design on the skirt
what sort; what kind
in this manner; in this way; like this
immediately; promptly
towering; astonishingly high
stylization; to stylize; to conventionalize
the customer is always right; the customer is king
thank you for the meal; that was a delicious meal; what a wonderful meal
imperial palace; person living in the imperial palace (esp. the emperor); festival dolls representing the emperor and the empress
state; condition; situation; terms
weather portending snow; snowflake pattern
picturesque design
according to circumstances; depending on the state of things; according to how the situation develops
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
while passing each other
colored pattern; coloured pattern; love scene
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless; there is no way out of it
headlong; head over heels
indecent; shameful; unsightly; pathetic
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
way of doing
way of thinking; thought pattern; thinking pattern
sour (expression); (lit.) as if having swallowed a bitter bug
striped pattern
manner of walking; horse gait
Chinese design; Chinese style; traditional architecture associated with Zen
(traditional) Japanese style
rearranging; remodeling; remodelling
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
different strokes for different folks; people doing something in their own way
confusing set-up; puzzling method
stupid; meaningless; worthless; hopeless (person, situation); beyond help; beyond saving
decorative carving; design; plan; sketch
dilettantish business; amateurish business
each of the three being different from the other two; each of the three having his (her) own way
the king of fruits (ref. to durian)
vague; unclear; elusive; hazy
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
gushing forth; bursting out; (lit.) like breaking a dam
woven pattern or design
dilettantism; amateurism (in art)
how; in what way
so; like that; that's right; indeed; let me see...
individual (different) ways of doing things; being different (varied) for each item (type)
daughter (of a good family)
fraud; trickery; hoax; surely; absolutely; certainly
geometric pattern
complex and multifarious
state; condition; the way things should be; ideal state; truth
many ways; various methods
as if it were about oneself
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
facets (aspects) of (human) life; the pattern of (one's) life
black-spotted pond frog (Rana nigromaculata)
person of high standing facing no opposition and with a warped view of reality; (lit.) naked emperor
thanks for taking care of me; thanks for taking care of my loved one
our gracious (e.g. Queen); honorific that attaches to name of a person or thing that has bestowed grace or favour upon you
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
attitude; move; measures (to take)
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
senior female worker who supervises junior employees in a domineering fashion
way of thinking; one's perspective
(someone's) assistance; help; aid; grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); blessing
hopeless; irredeemable
so many men, so many ways; to each one's own; it takes all sorts to make a world
lower classes; common people
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
changing completely; transformation
things depend on how you look at them
condition; state (of health); appearance
(clothing) patterned all over
beyond comparison; incomparable
I; me; self-centered man; egotistical man; pompous man
brought up in luxury
piercing (cold); biting (wind)
state; condition; situation; terms
to sleep like a log; to sleep like a baby
ciliary body (of the eye)
hard to believe; fabulous; unbelievable; incredible
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
(someone's) assistance; help; aid; grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); blessing
serves you right!; see what happens!
an infinite variety; multifarious; being extremely varied and wide-ranging
kid's meal; special meal prepared for children at a restaurant
stunning; electrifying; striking; eye-popping; brilliant
according to circumstances; dependent on the state of things
Buddha; Shakyamuni; the historical Buddha (5th c. BCE?)
expression of gratitude
to change completely; to transform
verse form from the Heian and Kamakura periods consisting of 4 lines each divided into two parts of 7 and 5 syllables
hard to believe; fabulous; unbelievable; incredible
regular customer; valued client
customer appreciation day (retail sales day)
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
Ladies and Gentlemen!; all of you; everyone
manner of speaking; mode of expression; way of saying something; at the same time as speaking; as one speaks
lord; nobleman; daimyō; dignitary; master
embroidered design
one person; one customer; unmarried and childless older woman
vermiform process; vermiform appendix
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless; there is no way out of it
display of dolls during Hinamatsuri; Hinamatsuri (March 3); Girls' Festival; Dolls' Festival
herring-bone pattern; herringbone pattern
hopeless; good-for-nothing; incorrigible; foolish; preposterous; absurd
kokkuri; divination technique similar to table turning and planchette
wide-ranging and diverse; multifarious
standards author; writer of standards
unnatural; artificial; false; forced (e.g. smile); empty (e.g. compliments)
that's too bad; too bad for you!
traditional Zen-style architecture
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
sleeping posture
Manjusri (bodhisattva)
the founder of our sect (esp. in reference to Nichiren)
whatever will be, will be; things happen the way they happen
thank you for your hard work; good work; see you; goodbye; goodnight
scattered pattern; irregular pattern
thin Japanese paper (esp. vellum paper); Japanese tissue
indecent; shameful; unsightly; pathetic
point of view; way of seeing
Aran (sweater pattern)
though it seems big, it's a small world
it serves you right
test specification
thanks to your assistance; thanks to your help; thanks to your support
showery sky; (it is) looking showery
serves you right!; see what happens!
thick Japanese paper (esp. vellum paper)
tasteless; dry as dust; insipid; flat; dull
Doric order (building)
thank you for your trouble; unfortunately ...
king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
beyond comparison; incomparable
wait-and-see; sitting on the fence; waiting to see which way the wind blows
latest fashion; trend of the times
customer copy (of a receipt, etc.)
senior female worker who supervises junior employees in a domineering fashion
we are of equal status in this regard; we are in the same boat; the same to you; the feeling is mutual
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless; there is no way out of it
in this manner; in this way; like this
indescribable; having no way to express
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
Mr.; Mrs.; Ms.
gushing forth; bursting out; (lit.) like breaking a dam
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
whatever will be, will be; things happen the way they happen
Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; clitoris
(someone's) assistance; help; aid; grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); blessing
kid's lunch; kid's meal
clear-cut and straightforward; (of a person) forward-thinking; honest; upright
monk; priest; boy
serves you right!; see what happens!
precedent; example
a great variety of; all sorts or kinds of; multifarious
(translucent) aqueous solution
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
the customer is always right; the customer is king
to flash before one's eyes (of memories, etc.)
migratory locust (Locusta migratoria)
thanks to your assistance; thanks to your help; thanks to your support
things depend on how you use them; all things have their uses when they are used in the right way
daughter (of a good family)
unmanly; weak; irresolute; sissy; acting like a woman
to sleep like a log; to sleep like a baby
way of doing something
words; expression
everything comes in handy when used correctly; use the right tools for the right job; (lit.) fools and (blunt) scissors have to be used in the right way
being on one's back
be careful what you say; consider your words
way of hearing; way a spoken statement is taken; way of asking
way of hearing; way a spoken statement is taken; way of asking
as if Christmas and one's birthday had come at the same time; as if Lady Luck had just visited twice; (lit.) as if the Bon Festival and New Year had come at the same time; as if the two busiest days of the year had come at the same time
karayuki-san; young Japanese women who were sent to work (mainly as prostitutes) in foreign countries, esp. in Southeast Asia (Meiji to early Showa)
karayuki-san; young Japanese women who were sent to work (mainly as prostitutes) in foreign countries, esp. in Southeast Asia (Meiji to early Showa)
child dying before parents; occurrence out of sequence; wrong order
eeny, meeny, miny, moe; eenie, meenie, minie, moe
customer copy (of a receipt, etc.)
Everything depends on how you look at it
specification documents
great diversity of form
amateur work (in art); work done in carefree mood without regard to time or expenses
internal method; inner resources
upside down; inside out
paper doll modeled after a kimono-clad woman (modelled)
another's wife; another's daughter
another's wife; another's daughter
amateurish way of doing business
Corinthian order (building style)
arching backward; looking up
Byzantine style (of architecture)
extended memory specification; XMS
program specification
uniform random number; uniformly distributed random number
functional specification
harsh words make the going rough; consider your words; people may be offended (or not) by the way you speak
reticular formation
algebraic variety; locus defined by polynomial equations
first-run limited edition technical recording
single pattern on the entirety of a garment
modern; latest; up-to-date
modern; latest; up-to-date
multimodality; polymodality
parent who behaves like everyone owes them
calico plant (Alternanthera ficoidea)
Examples (200 in total)
Who do you think you are?
What did she look like?
He seemed worried about his health.