May 24, 2013

Family honorifics in Japanese

Humble - humble form (lowering), exalted (raising)

Father -  chichi, otosan (long o)

Mother - haha, okasan (long a)

Older Brother - ani, onisan (long i)

Younger Brother - ototo, ototosan (long o)

Older Sister - ane, onesan

Younger Sister - imoto, imotosan

Parents - ryoshin (long o), go-ryoshin (long o)

Husband shujin (lit. my lord), go-shujin

Wife - kanai, okusama or okusan  polite and most commonly used as with any word in this column, sama can be exchanged for san can be exchanged for chan and chama as well in any case where you express exaltedness.