ご主人様
goshujin-samaservant to employer, anime
In anime, a servant calls the person they serve ご主人様 (goshujin-sama). A martial arts or craft teacher is 師匠 (shishō), and the owner of a cafe or bar is マスター (masutā).
Meaning: title for a person one serves or follows (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ご主人様 | goshujin-sama | servant to employer, anime |
| 師匠 | shishō | teacher of an art, anime |
| マスター | masutā | loanword, bar owner |
Maids in anime and in maid cafes say ご主人様 to male guests, and お嬢様 (ojōsama) to female guests.
Which one should you use?
マスター is the English loanword. In games like Fate it names the summoner, and in real life it names a cafe or bar owner.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The ending 様 (sama) is very respectful, while 師匠 is used for a teacher in a traditional art.
Did you know?
- The title 師匠 is also used for a rakugo storyteller's teacher, so you may hear it outside anime too.
Examples in context
- 師匠、おしえてください。Shishō, oshiete kudasai.Teacher, please teach me.
- マスター、コーヒーをください。Masutā, kōhī o kudasai.Boss, a coffee please.
Example conversation
A maid cafe in Akihabara, where a maid greets a customer as he enters.
- Maidおかえりなさいませ、ご主人様。Okaerinasaimase, goshujin-sama.Welcome home, my lord.
- Customerただいま。Tadaima.I'm home.
- Maidこちらのせきへどうぞ。Kochira no seki e dōzo.Please take this seat.
- Customerありがとう。Arigatō.Thank you.
