Meanings
Prefix
Honorific
Humble
Polite
Usually written in kana
1. honorific/polite/humble prefix
usu. before a term with an on-yomi reading
Suffix
Honorific
2. honorific suffix
after a noun indicating a person
Alt. forms
Kanji used
honorable
Pitch accent
Top 3100
Used in vocabulary (172 in total)
(your) business; (your) concern; (customer's) order; official business (of the government, Imperial Court, etc.); arrest; capture
presence (of a nobleman, the emperor, etc.); outrider (person riding horseback in the lead position of a cavalcade); My Lord; My Lady
I'm sorry; my apologies; may I come in?; permission; leave; dismissal
purveyor (to the Imperial Household, etc.); company (or restaurant, place, etc.) that caters to or is popular with a specific clientele
purveyor (to the Imperial Household, etc.); company (or restaurant, place, etc.) that caters to or is popular with a specific clientele
personage; person (deserving of respect)
imperial palace (esp. Kyoto Imperial Palace); imperial residence; residence of a shogun, minister, etc.; emperor; ex-emperor; empress
feast; treating (someone); to treat (someone, e.g. to a meal)
emperor (of Japan); mikado; (the gates of an) imperial residence
elder sister
knowing; (an) acquaintance
trouble (I have put you through); (your) hard work; thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
humour; humor; safety; health; in a good mood; in high spirits
your husband; her husband
three branch Tokugawa families (Owari, Kii, and Mito); big three; top three
knowing; (an) acquaintance
elder sister
himself; yourself; herself
(your) daughter; young woman
grace (of God); divine favour; benefit; efficacy
greeting; a fine thing to say
(received) favor, kindness or blessing (favour)
lower-ranking vassal in the Kamakura and Edo periods
shintai; object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity, typically housed in a shrine
trouble; bother; annoyance
(somebody else's) parents; both parents
contraband; taboo; strictly forbidden
guidance; leading (the way); information; notice; announcement (of one's arrival); invitation
not writing or contacting for a while; neglecting (failing) to write (call, visit, etc.); long silence
meal; Emperor's meal; meal of a noble; high-quality (of a food or drink); premium
imperial tomb
fate; chance; relationship; tie
girl; young (unmarried) woman
wife (esp. of a prominent, recently married man)
wife (esp. of a prominent, recently married man)
(another person's) younger sister
(another person's) niece
imperial visit; imperial outing
staff with plaited paper streamers
polite; courteous; careful; close; overly courteous; overly careful
temple; monk's quarters; monk
imperial property
another's parent; another's parents
inviting another to one's home, office, etc.; (lit.) the trouble of coming (going)
exaggerated; extravagant; overdone
abode (of a nobleman or emperor); Imperial chamber
gentlemen
your younger brother
(another's respected) father
(another's respected) father
Meiji Restoration
principal object of worship at a temple (usu. a buddha or bodhisattva); principal image; idol; the man himself; the person at the heart of the matter
(another person's) nephew
starting afresh; going back to square one; abandoning (e.g. a plan); clearing an abacus
attention; notice; care; caution; advice; warning
letter bearing the shogun's scarlet seal; seal stamp given to worshippers and visitors to shrines and temples
bride; one's daughter-in-law
(imperial) words
doctor to a shogun or daimyo (Edo period)
don't worry; no worries; never mind
you are quite right; reasonable; natural; just
how kind of you; that's very nice of you; kindly
how kind of you; that's very nice of you; kindly
lord's command
splendid; fine; handsome; elegant; imposing; prominent
cooperation; collaboration
manager; steward; person next in rank to the chief retainer and in charge of general management and accounting in a samurai family (Edo period)
don't worry about it; there is nothing to fear; there is no need for anxiety; everything is under control
personage; person (deserving of respect)
siblings; brothers and sisters
worry; care; consideration
three secondary Tokugawa branch families (Tayasu, Shimizu, and Hitotsubashi)
crest of a noble family
opportunism; double standards; timeserving; expediency
contacting; getting in touch; communication; call; message
entertainment; amusement; fun
deified volcano or volcanic eruption
courtesy call; courtesy visit
alcohol; sake
acknowledgement; acknowledgment; understanding (e.g. "please be understanding of the mess during our renovation"); noting
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
this place; where one comes from; here
mausoleum; shrine; the (imperial) court
land under the control of the imperial household or the shogunate
as is usual with; in common with
common; in the usual course
a question from the emperor
misfortune; calamity
imperial portrait; photograph of the incumbent Emperor and Empress distributed to schools between 1890 and the end of the Second World War; portrait or photo of a person of high rank
sunrise viewed from the top of a high mountain; the rising sun
pilgrim's song; pilgrim's hymn; song in praise of the Buddha
imperial estate
to ask the opinion of (a superior)
upaya (skillful means, methods of teaching); convenience; suitability; availability
advisor; adviser (to a lord, etc.); wise counselor allowed to speak to a lord without restraint
advisor; adviser (to a lord, etc.); wise counselor allowed to speak to a lord without restraint
lord's command
as is usual with; in common with
lighted lamp (or candle, etc.) provided as a religious offering
pent roof built atop the stairs of a shrine or temple
Formulary of Adjudications (51-article Joei legal code)
to be; to exist
talisman; amulet; charm
not writing or contacting for a while; neglecting (failing) to write (call, visit, etc.); long silence
Brocken spectre; Brocken bow
talisman; amulet; charm
encouragement; urging; spurring on
as is usual with; in common with
please take care of yourself; please be careful not to... (concerning one's health or well-being)
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
light used as a religious offering; paper lantern (hung up near the door of performers and geishas)
before the spirit of the deceased
Charter Oath (of the Meiji Emperor); Five-Point Imperial Covenant; Imperial Oath of Five Articles
entertainment; amusement; fun
courtesy call; courtesy visit
excuse me for interrupting you when you are so busy
excuse me for interrupting you when you are so busy
birth (regal); nativity
please accept (this)
you are unquestionably right
before a Buddha or a mortuary tablet; offerings made to Buddha or placed on a mortuary tablet
worship by the emperor at a shrine
Goryū Shinto (sect of amalgamated Shinto)
frequently asked questions; FAQ
frequently asked questions; FAQ
to be; to exist
within the town limits of Edo
to be; to exist
to be; to exist
another's wife or daughter
Examples (19 in total)
Where are you from?
You are from Hokkaido, aren't you?
How is it going with your family?