Sama, san, kun, chan: the many Japanese honorifics
gogonihon.com › en › blogJan 19, 2019 · Unlike Japanese people, foreigners usually use first names more and Japanese people tend to respect that choice. The word “honorific” here is very important: it is the key to understanding this complex communication system. Japan uses an important hierarchy, based on criteria like age or social status. According to your field of work or your job title, you might be in a superior, inferior, or neutral position when compared to another person.