Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| お兄さん | oniisan | [o̞ɲ̟iːsã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 僕 | boku | [bo̞kɯ̟] (narrow) [ɕimo̞be̞] (narrow) |
| 旦那 | danna | [dã̠nːa̠] (narrow) |
| 旦那様 | danna-sama |
The term "sir" in English is often used to address a male when his name is unknown. In Japanese, the specific word you choose depends on the man's age, your relationship to him and the setting. For example, お客様 is a respectful term used to address clients, customers or guests in service or hospitality settings. If you are addressing a section chief or department head, you would use 課長さん.
What does it mean word for word?
The term お兄さん literally means "older brother" but is used to address a young man whose name is unknown.
Which one should you use?
The terms 旦那様 and 旦那 differ in their level of formality. 旦那様 is a highly respectful way to address a man, often used by service staff or in very formal settings, whereas 旦那 is a more colloquial way to refer to a man or a husband.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Formality varies significantly between these options. 旦那様 is a highly respectful way to address a man, often used by service staff or in very formal settings. In contrast, お兄さん can be employed to address a man in an informal but respectful manner. 旦那 is a more colloquial way to refer to a man or a husband.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, おっちゃん is used to address a middle-aged or older man in a relatively informal manner.
How do you pronounce it?
oniisan
Did you know?
- The word 旦那 is a distant relative of the English words 'donate' and 'donor'. It entered Japanese via Middle Chinese as a transliteration of the Sanskrit word dāna, meaning 'generosity'.
- The first-person pronoun 僕, used by many men, originally described a 'servant to the imperial court'.
- Using お兄さん to address a stranger is a social strategy to create a friendly, pseudo-familial bond without actually claiming a biological relationship.
Examples in context
- お客様、ご質問はございますか？Sir, do you have any questions?
- あのお兄さん、荷物を落としましたよ。Ano oniisan, nimotsu o otoshimashita yo.That gentleman over there dropped his luggage.
Example conversation
Misaki sees a man standing nearby and tries to get his attention.
- 美咲 Misakiお兄さん、すみません！Oniisan, sumimasen!Excuse me, sir!
- 陽太 Yotaはい、何ですか？Hai, nan desu ka?Yes, what is it?
- 美咲 Misaki財布を落としましたよ。Saifu o otoshimashita yo.You dropped your wallet.
- 陽太 Yotaあ、本当だ。ありがとうございます。A, hontou da. Arigatou gozaimasu.Oh, you're right. Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sir” translations and entries お兄さん, 僕, 旦那, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 僕, 旦那, CC BY-SA 4.0.
