様・さま

1. The reason why 様 'appearance' is used to show one's respect is that 様 allows one to refer indirectly to one's superior. For instance, 山田様 is a more indirect way to refer to a person called 山田 than to call him simply 山田, because 山田様 literary means 'appearance of 山田'. Note, however, that a personal name+様 is not used in conversational Japanese, except in highly polite speech used to clientele by clerks/attendants of hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, department stores, etc.

2. 様 attached to a personified object shows more endearment than respect, as in Example (c).

3. 様 can also be attached to some action or state related to the hearer, as in (1) through (5) below:

(1)
• ご馳走様(でした)。
• It was such a treat.

(2)
• お世話様になりました。
• Thank you for all that you've done for me.

(3)
• お気の毒様(でした)。
• Literally: It was a pitiful matter. (That's too bad.)

(4)
• お疲れ様(でした)。
• You must be very tired.

(5)
• おかげ様で元気です。
• Literally: Thanks to you I'm fine. (I'm fine, thank you.)

4. In written Japanese, especially after the addressee's name in a letter, etc., 様 is used as in:

(6)
• 山田一郎様
• Mr. Ichiro Yamada

【Related Expressions】

I. Two related forms, さん and ちゃん are derived from 様 through phonetic modifications. さん is the informal version of 様 and therefore less honorific and more intimate than 様. Except for Examples (a) and (b), in which the highest superiors appear, 様 can be replaced by さん. さん can also be attached to names of occupations and titles as in:

[1] Name of occupation+さん

• 魚屋さん  fishmonger
• お菓子屋さん  confectioner
• 酒屋さん  wine dealer

[2] Title+さん

• 校長さん  principal
• 市長さん  mayor
• 課長さん  section chief

ちゃん is used with children's names or in child-like language. Normally this suffix is attached only to kinship terms or first names as in:

[3] Kinship terms+ちゃん

• お母ちゃん  mom
• お父ちゃん  pop
• おじいちゃん  grandpa
• おばあちゃん  grandma
• おじちゃん  uncle
• おばちゃん  auntie

[4] First name+ちゃん

• 花子ちやん  Hanako
• 太郎ちゃん  Taro

II. 君 is a similar Sino-Japanese suffix which can be attached to a male equal or male inferior's first name and/or last name. It is sometimes used to refer to a female or a male in an institution such as a school or a company. Etymologically 君 has nothing to do with 様 and its variants.

(⇨ 君)