人名
jinmei
The English phrase "people's names" is translated to Japanese as 人名 (jinmei).
人名 is used to refer to the names of individual human beings. It is a term typically used in formal, administrative or technical contexts, such as on forms, in databases or when discussing the concept of personal names in a general sense.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 人 (person) and 名 (name).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, people tend to use the suffix -han instead of -san in informal situations.
How do you pronounce it?
jinmei
When do people say it?
When addressing individuals, the most common way is to add the suffix -san to their last name, such as Yamamoto-san, Tanaka-san or Sato-san. It is often customary to add the suffix -chan to the names of young children, close friends or those with whom you have a close relationship, such as Suzuki-chan. Common male names include Hiroshi, Shinji and Kazuki, while common female names include Aika, Sakura and Yui.
Did you know?
- Calling someone by their name without any honorific suffix, like -san or -chan, is known as 'yobisute' and can be perceived as rude or aggressively intimate.
- In many Japanese administrative forms where 人名 is mentioned, you may see a separate space for 'furigana' to indicate how the kanji characters for the name should be pronounced.
- The character 名 in 人名 can also refer to 'reputation' or 'fame', which is why the concept of a person's name is so closely tied to their social standing in Japanese culture.
Examples in context
- この書類には人名が並んでいます。Kono shorui ni wa jinmei ga narande imasu.People's names are listed on this document.
- 人名を覚えるのは大変です。Jinmei o oboeru no wa taihen desu.It is difficult to memorize people's names.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are organizing a guest list.
- 蓮 Renこのリストに人名を書き足して。Kono risuto ni jinmei o kakitashite.Add people's names to this list.
- 陽葵 Himariわかった。誰の名前かな？Wakatta. Dare no namae kana?Got it. Whose names are they?
- 蓮 Ren新しいメンバーの人名だよ。Atarashii menbaa no jinmei dayo.They are the names of the new members.
- 陽葵 Himari了解。すぐに書き込むね。Ryoukai. Sugu ni kakikomu ne.Understood. I'll write them in right away.
