The Japanese language has a system of honorific speech, referred to as keigo (Japanese: 敬 けい 語 ご, literally "respectful language"), parts of speech one function of which is to show that the speaker wants to convey respect for either the listener or someone mentioned in the utterance.

Sep 15, 2021 · The kanji for 敬語 (keigo), consists of 敬 (kei), which means “respectful or honored,” while 語 (go) means “language.” This tells us that keigo is polite or honorific language in Japanese. It is a relic of Japan’s caste system, which stood firm until the end of the Edo Period.

Jan 24, 2025 · What are the three types of keigo? There are three types of keigo that are used based on the situation: sonkeigo (尊敬語) to show respect for others, kenjōgo (謙譲語) to be humble about yourself, and teineigo (丁寧語) for general politeness. It’s possible—and even likely—to use all three in the same conversation depending on who ...

Sep 20, 2023 · What’s Japanese Keigo? 敬語 is a super polite form of Japanese used to either convey humility or respect. It’s a unique and beautiful part of the Japanese language and it gives learners insights about Japan’s culture of honor and respect.

Sep 13, 2013 · In keigo, there are three main categories: respectful language (sonkeigo 尊敬語 （ ）), humble/modest language (kenjougo 謙譲語 （ ）) and polite language (teineigo 丁寧語 （ ）). Sometimes two more categories are also used, too: courteous language ( teichougo 丁重語 （ ） ) and word beautification ( bikago 美化語 （ ） ).

Jun 30, 2022 · Japanese honorific language or Japanese honorific speech, called 敬語 (Keigo) in Japanese, is used to show respect to whomever you are speaking to. The Kanji for 敬語 is 敬 (Kei) meaning “respect” or “reverence”, and 語 (Go) meaning “language” or “speech”.

Teineigo is the basic way of being polite in Japanese and is absolutely crucial to master. As I’ve stated before: it is used everywhere, every day in Japan. The other two forms of keigo — sonkeigo and kenjōgo —are used to confer respect on …

Apr 21, 2016 · The word keigo (敬語) is written with the kanji that means “to respect” (敬) or “to admire” and the kanji for “language” (語).Japanese society has always cared for hierarchy to the point that honorific speech seems to be a whole other language. If you’re planning to build a fulfilling career in Japan, knowing business Japanese will help you stand out during your job …

The honorific level of speech is called keigo (敬語). When speaking to those of much higher social status, (for example, customers, teachers or elders), one is supposed to use honorific speech. Generally, keigo involves using very humble expressions to refer to oneself and very honorific ones to refer to the person addressed.

Keigo is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture and reflects the importance of showing respect and politeness in social interactions. By using keigo, speakers can convey their intentions, maintain social harmony, and demonstrate their understanding of social hierarchy.