The honorific **さん** (san)

 

1. Today's Japanese words

Here is an explanation of Japanese job titles (役職名, yakushokumei) with romaji:

**Japanese corporate hierarchy**

Japanese companies are typically structured hierarchically, with a clear chain of command from top to bottom. This hierarchy is reflected in the company's job titles, which are used to indicate an employee's rank and responsibilities.

The most common job titles in Japanese companies are:

* **Shachō (社長)**: President or CEO

* **Buchachō (部長)**: General manager or director

* **Kachō (課長)**: Department head or manager

* **Shunin (主任)**: Supervisor

* **Dairi (代理)**: Assistant

* **Jimuin (事務員)**: Clerk or staff member

**Romaji breakdown of job titles**

Here is a romaji breakdown of the most common Japanese job titles:

* **Shachō (社長)**

    * **Sha** (社): Company

    * **Chō** (長): Head

* **Buchachō (部長)**

    * **Bu** (部): Department

    * **Chō** (長): Head

* **Kachō (課長)**

    * **Ka** (課): Section

    * **Chō** (長): Head

* **Shunin (主任)**

    * **Shu** (主): Chief

    * **Nin** (任): Responsibility

* **Dairi (代理)**

    * **Dai** (代): Instead

    * **Ri** (理): Reason

* **Jimuin (事務員)**

    * **Ji** (事): Affair

    * **Mu** (務): Duty

    * **In** (員): Person

2. Today's topic

In Japanese, the honorific **さん** (san) is a polite suffix that is attached to the end of a person's name or title. It is the most common and versatile honorific, and can be used in a wide range of situations, both formal and informal.

**Here are some of the key features of さん:**

* **Politeness:** さん is a general marker of politeness, and is used to show respect to the person you are speaking to.

* **Versatility:** さん can be used with people of all ages, genders, and social statuses. It is also appropriate to use with strangers, acquaintances, and friends.

* **Formality:** さん can be used in both formal and informal situations. However, in very formal settings, such as when speaking to someone of a much higher social status, you may want to use a more formal honorific, such as **様** (sama).

**Here are some examples of how to use さん:**

* **田中さん** (Tanaka-san): This is a polite way to address Mr. or Ms. Tanaka.

* **山田先生** (Yamada-sensei): This is a polite way to address Mr. or Ms. Yamada, who is a teacher.

* **佐藤さん、こんにちは。** (Satō-san, konnichiwa.): This means "Hello, Mr. or Ms. Sato."

* **田中さん、お元気ですか？** (Tanaka-san, o-genki desu ka?): This means "How are you, Mr. or Ms. Tanaka?"

**In addition to being attached to names, さん can also be used with titles, such as:**

* **社長さん** (shachō-san): This means "president."

* **部長さん** (buchō-san): This means "department head."

* **店員さん** (ten'in-san): This means "store clerk."

**Here are some examples of how to use さん with titles:**

* **社長さん、お忙しいですか？** (Shachō-san, o-isogashii desu ka?): This means "Are you busy, Mr. or Ms. President?"

* **部長さん、すみません。** (Buchō-san, sumimasen.): This means "Excuse me, Mr. or Ms. Department Head."

* **店員さん、あの商品はどこにありますか？** (Ten'in-san, ano shōhin wa doko ni arimasu ka?): This means "Excuse me, where is that product?"

**Overall, さん is an essential part of Japanese etiquette, and is a valuable tool for showing respect to others. By understanding how to use さん correctly, you will be able to communicate more effectively and politely in Japanese.**

3- Today’s news

Kyoto’s historic Aoi Festival fills the streets with courtly costumes

https://www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/articles/15267535

In Kyoto during the Heian Period (794-1185), the term "festival" was synonymous with the Aoi Festival, highlighting its significance in Japanese culture.

Over 80,000 foreigners working at convenience stores in Japan

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240515/p2g/00m/0bu/063000c

Many who apply are international students aiming to improve their Japanese ability through the work