謙譲語Ｉけんじょうごいち

Meanings

A subtype of humble language (kenjōgo) where the speaker's action is directed toward the listener or a third party, making that person the indirect object or recipient. Contrasts with 謙譲語ＩＩ (kenjōgo II), which expresses politeness toward the listener without an indirect object relationship. Used in formal or respectful contexts.

Kanji

謙self-effacing, humble oneself, condescend
譲defer, turnover, transfer
語word, speech, language

Related words

謙けん譲じょ語うＩごＩに
Kenjōgo II (humble language type II) also lowers the speaker, but it does not involve an indirect object; it simply shows politeness to the listener, e.g., 参る (mairu, 'to go' humbly). Kenjōgo I always implies an action directed toward a respected person.
尊そん敬けい語ご
Sonkeigo (respectful language) elevates the subject of the action, while kenjōgo I lowers the speaker and often involves an action directed toward the respected person.
丁てい寧ねい語ご
Teineigo (polite language) uses です・ます forms to show general politeness, without the specific lowering of the speaker or indirect object relationship found in kenjōgo I.

Written forms

謙譲語Ｉけんじょうごいち
Standard technical term in Japanese grammar; the Roman numeral I is part of the official classification.
謙けん譲じょう語ご１いち
Variant using full-width numeral １ instead of Roman numeral I; both are seen in pedagogical materials.

Etymology

Compound of 謙譲 (kenjō, 'humility') + 語 (go, 'language') + Ｉ (ichi, 'one'), following the classification system used in Japanese school grammar and the Agency for Cultural Affairs' honorific guidelines.