counter for people (honorific)
Honorific counter used for people, especially in service contexts such as restaurant reservations, hotel bookings, and seating. Combines the counter 名 (めい) with the polite suffix 様 (さま).
See also: 名 (めい)
How many people is the reservation for?
Is a table for three people all right?
名 is a standard counter for people, neutral in politeness. 名様 adds the honorific 様, making it explicitly polite and suitable for customer service.
人 is the most common counter for people, used in everyday situations. 名様 is more formal and respectful, typically used when addressing customers or guests.
Compound of 名 (めい, counter for people) and 様 (さま, honorific suffix). The combination creates a polite counter used primarily in service industry contexts.