君くん

く

ん

Meanings

1

Suffix attached to the given name or full name of a male of equal or lower status, often used by superiors addressing juniors, among friends, or in school settings. Conveys familiarity or slight respect.

山やま田だくん、ちょっと

来き

て

。

Yamada-kun, come here a moment.

田た中なかくんはサッカー部ぶのキャプテンだ。

Tanaka-kun is the captain of the soccer club.

2

suffix

Ms.; miss

Used after the name of a female of lower status, typically by male speakers in formal or workplace settings. Less common than the male usage; in many contexts さん is preferred.

鈴すず木きくん、この書しょ類るいをコピーしてくれ。
Suzuki-kun, please copy these documents.

3

suffix

sir; madam

archaic

Archaic respectful suffix for both genders, now largely obsolete except in the Japanese Diet where it is still used among members.

国こっ会かいでは今いまでも議ぎ員いん同どう士しが「○○君くん」と呼よび合あう。
In the Diet, members still address each other as '○○-kun'.

Expressions

構かまって君くんattention seeker; look-at-me person
君くん子し豹ひょう変へんすa wise man changes his mind, a fool never
君くん子し危あやうきに近ちか寄よらずa wise man keeps away from danger
君くん父ぷの讐あだは倶ともに天てんを戴いただかずnot wanting to live under the same sky as one's father's or lord's enemy; being prepared to sacrifice one's life to avenge one's father or lord
君くん子しは周しゅうして比ひせず小しょう人じんは比ひして周しゅうせずA wise man keeps wide company; a fool joins a clique.

Kanji

君mister, you, ruler

Related words

ちゃんN5sense 1
ちゃん is an affectionate, diminutive suffix used for children, close friends, or pets, while 君 carries a slightly more formal or respectful tone, especially among males.
氏しN2sense 1
氏 is a formal, distancing suffix used mainly in writing or news reports to refer to a person by surname, while 君 is used in speech to address someone directly with familiarity.
さんN3
君 is a casual suffix mainly used for male peers or juniors, less formal than さん, which works for anyone regardless of gender or status.

Politeness

さんpolite 丁寧語N3sense 1
さん is the neutral, universally polite address suffix, while 君 is more casual and typically used for males or juniors, making さん the safer default in formal or mixed-status situations.
様さまhonorific 尊敬語N3sense 1
様 is a highly respectful suffix used for superiors, customers, or in formal writing, whereas 君 signals familiarity or addressing someone of equal or lower status.

Word family· 50

諸しょ君くんN1
you (plural); you all · gentlemen; ladies and gentlemen; my friends; everyone
君くん主しゅN1
monarch; sovereign; ruler
君くん臨りん
reign over a country; rule as monarch · dominate; hold sway over; lord it over

Written forms

君くんUsage74%
Standard kanji form for the honorific suffix.
くんUsage23%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing, especially when the kanji might be confused with other readings.
クンUsage3%

Etymology

Derived from the kanji 君 (lord, ruler), which historically indicated respect. The suffix くん developed as a less formal alternative to さん, originally used among peers and subordinates.

主しゅ君くん

lord; master

暴ぼう君くん

tyrant; despot

Show 16 more

君くん子し
man of virtue; wise man; gentleman · person of high rank; noble · the Four Gentlemen (plum, chrysanthemum, orchid, bamboo)
貴き君くん
you (polite, archaic, masculine, epistolary)
人じん君くん
sovereign; ruler
名めい君くん
wise ruler; enlightened monarch; benevolent lord
夫ふ君くん
(another's) husband
父ふ君くん
(honorific) father
細さい君くん
(one's) wife · wife (of a peer or subordinate)
大たい君くん
monarch; sovereign · shogun (Tokugawa)
両りょう君くん
you two; both of you · two monarchs; two rulers
二に君くん
two masters
亡ぼう君くん
one's deceased lord
仁じん君くん
benevolent ruler
何なに君くん
what name; what's-his-name
先せん君くん
previous lord; late lord · one's late father · ancestor
厳げん君くん
your father (honorific)
同どう君くん
the aforementioned person; that person (formal)

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