How to Say ‘Sir / Ma'am’ in Japanese
お客さん
o kyaku san
[o KYAH-koo sahn]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Drivers and shop staff address customers this way instead of using names. It's polite but friendly, roughly like "sir" or "ma'am".
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[o]
polite prefix
Prefix added for politeness.
お名前は？
What is your name?
客
kyaku
[KYAH-koo]
customer; guest
Kanji for customer or visitor; with お and さん it becomes the polite word for customers.
お客さんが来ました。
A customer came.
さん
san
[sahn]
Mr./Ms.; polite suffix
A respectful suffix attached to a person's title or name.
お母さんは喜びます。
Mom will be happy.
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