Keyword
-sama
Info
FrequencyTop 100
Type
Kyōiku (3rd grade) 
?
Shinjitai ?
KankenLevel 8
Heisig1003
Old form
Readings
さま
(67%)
よう
(28%)
ざま
(4%)
Composed of
tree
force of nature
water
Mnemonic

This is the kanji for the さま honorific suffix, and is typically used for individuals of a higher rank than oneself, including customers, people one greatly admires, or divine entities.

Traditionally many of such Japanese divine entities towards whom this honorific would be used were considered to be a part of the landscape. The tree on the left of this kanji is not just a simple tree — it's a place where a deity resides. The water on the bottom is not just water — it is also an embodiment of a Japanese divine spirit. They wield the force of nature as they see fit and can easily ruin you if you're rude, so show some respect and use the 〜さま honorific!

Used in vocabulary (506 in total)
state; state of affairs; appearance; look; sign; indication
Mr.; Mrs.; makes a word more polite (usu. in fixed expressions); state; situation
in order to (e.g. meet goal); so that; take care (so as); hoping or wishing for something
same; similar; (just) like; equal
various; varied; diverse; all sorts of
God; god; ace; king; superior person
pattern; figure; state; condition; conjecture of the current situation; the way it seems; model
you; you bastard; you son of a bitch; (arch.) you
(another's) daughter; young lady (of pampered upbringing); woman who has never known hardship; naive woman
mess; sorry state; -ways; -wards; in the act of ...; just as one is ...
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
bizarre; strange; eccentric; odd; queer
thank you for your hard work; good work; see you; goodbye; goodnight
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
wife; your wife; his wife; married lady; madam
state; condition; the way things should be; ideal state; truth
uniform; equal; even; common; ordinary; usual
older brother
husband; master (of a house, shop, etc.)
master; Your lordship; My lord; husband
unshapely; unsightly; clumsy; unpresentable; uncouth; awkward
I; me; self-centered man; egotistical man; pompous man
way; method; means; (technical) specification
princess; daughter of a nobleman
to reach the point that; to come to be that; to turn into
like; similar to; as with; in the same way
like; similar to; (I) think (that); (I) have a feeling (that); feels like; feels similar to
so; like that; that's right; indeed; let me see...
seeming to be; appearing to be; like; similar to; in order to (e.g. meet goal); so that
we are of equal status in this regard; we are in the same boat; the same to you; the feeling is mutual
wait-and-see (situation, stance, etc.); waiting to see (how things play out); watching developments (before acting)
that kind of; of the sort; of the kind; such
thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
to wait and see; to see how the land lies
(someone else's) child; child; kid
aspect; phase; condition; modality (philosophy)
appearing ...; looking ...; way to ...; method of ...ing; form; style
style; form; pattern
(following a verb) to be sure to; to do (something) so that ...; to make sure to; to try to
other people; others
pattern; design
diverse; varied
nobleman; dignitary; feudal lord (of the Edo period); daimyō; man brought up away from the world; arrogant man with little knowledge of the ways of the world
to tell (somebody) to (do something)
state; condition; the way things should be; ideal state; truth
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
care of; at the household of (when addressing letter, etc.); c-o
to wait and see; to see how the land lies
to assume an aspect; to take on an appearance
attitude to life; form of existence; way of life
like this; this sort; this way
pattern; design
changing completely; transformation
emperor; shogun; honored person (honoured); (another person's) wife
young master; son of a high-ranking person
manner of speaking; mode of expression; way of saying something; at the same time as speaking; as one speaks
diversity; variety
everyone; everybody; ladies and gentlemen
(I) think (that); (I) have a feeling (that); (I) fancy (that)
counter for people (usu. seating, reservations and such)
a great variety of; diversity
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
regular customer; valued client
seeming to be; appearing to be; like; similar to
manner of death
a Buddha; deceased person
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
thank you (for the meal); that was a delicious meal; thank you (for displaying lovey-dovey behaviour)
attaching the polite suffix "-sama" to somebody's name (more polite than "-san")
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
look of the sky; weather
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
in the same way as; just like
lord; nobleman; daimyō; dignitary; master
rearranging; remodeling; remodelling
other people; others
thank you for the meal; that was a delicious meal; what a wonderful meal
striped pattern
master; Your lordship; My lord; husband
one person; one customer; unmarried and childless older woman
beauty of style; beauty of form
while passing each other
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
party game in which a randomly selected king issues orders to other players
learning by watching others; learning by imitation
outside daimyo; non-Tokugawa daimyo; outsider; one not included in the favored (favoured) group
identically; in the (exact) same way; similarly
mottled pattern; patchy pattern
Ladies and Gentlemen!; all of you; everyone
such; like that; in that way
unfavourably; unfavorably; disparagingly; insultingly; ill
what sort; what kind
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
diversification
fraud; trickery; hoax; surely; absolutely; certainly
Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; clitoris
indescribable; having no way to express
specification document
change; alteration; modification
this sort of; of this kind; of the sort; such
(another's) daughter; young lady (of pampered upbringing); woman who has never known hardship; naive woman
lady of the house
various; varied; diverse; all sorts of
apologies for the crude food
mottled pattern; patchy pattern
Buddha; Shakyamuni; the historical Buddha (5th c. BCE?)
so; like that; that's right; indeed; let me see...
kid's lunch; kid's meal
husband; master (of a house, shop, etc.)
unshapely; unsightly; clumsy; unpresentable; uncouth; awkward
successive; consecutive; back-to-back; one after another
form; situation; condition
that's too bad; too bad for you!
prince; princess
to one's heart's content
person of high standing facing no opposition and with a warped view of reality; (lit.) naked emperor
to become good-looking; to start looking appropriate (for something)
person of importance; a somebody; absolutely; certainly; to be sure
each of the three being different from the other two; each of the three having his (her) own way
two ways (e.g. of interpreting a word); two kinds; two types
monk; priest; boy
thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts
how; in what way
immediately; promptly
stormy; threatening
eccentric; queer; unconventional; peculiar; bizarre; strange
(arch.) person of high rank; (arch.) nobleman; wife of a nobleman
what sort of; what kind of; what way
immediately; promptly
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
a great variety of; all sorts or kinds of; multifarious
modern style; contemporary style; current fashion; verse form from the Heian and Kamakura periods consisting of 4 lines each divided into two parts of 7 and 5 syllables
hard to believe; fabulous; unbelievable; incredible
arabesque; scrollwork
hopeless; good-for-nothing; incorrigible; foolish; preposterous; absurd
young wife; young married woman
fabric (pattern) of human relationships
plentiful; lot of; much; pile of
display of dolls during Hinamatsuri; Hinamatsuri (March 3); Girls' Festival; Dolls' Festival
signs of rain; threat of rain
senior female worker who supervises junior employees in a domineering fashion
smooth words make smooth ways; it's not what you say, it's how you say it
our gracious (e.g. Queen); honorific that attaches to name of a person or thing that has bestowed grace or favour upon you
the other party
head over heels; headlong; head first
God and Buddha; Gods and Buddhas; one's guardian angel
inverted; upside down; reversed; back to front; wrong way round
coming home after midnight; person who comes home after midnight
(someone else's) child; child; kid
wickedness; sideways; unreasonable
stupid; meaningless; worthless; hopeless (person, situation); beyond help; beyond saving
thank you (for the meal); that was a delicious meal; thank you (for displaying lovey-dovey behaviour)
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
checked pattern; chequered pattern; checks; checkers; chequers
to tell (somebody) to (do something)
thanks for taking care of me; thanks for taking care of my loved one
farewell; adieu; goodbye; so long
in that way; like that; that way
thunder; god of thunder
living god; saintly person
snakelike; snaky; serpentine
ordinary; common; mediocre
that kind of; of the sort; of the kind; such
two ways; both ways; two kinds
such; like that; in that way
large-hearted; generous; liberal; placid; composed; cool
like this; this sort; this way
the sun; providence; god
towering; astonishingly high
kimono with design on the skirt
immediately; promptly
stylization; to stylize; to conventionalize
in this manner; in this way; like this
what sort; what kind
the customer is always right; the customer is king
thank you for the meal; that was a delicious meal; what a wonderful meal
imperial palace; person living in the imperial palace (esp. the emperor); festival dolls representing the emperor and the empress
weather portending snow; snowflake pattern
state; condition; situation; terms
picturesque design
according to circumstances; depending on the state of things; according to how the situation develops
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
guest; visitor; customer; client; shopper
while passing each other
colored pattern; coloured pattern; love scene
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless; there is no way out of it
way of thinking; thought pattern; thinking pattern
headlong; head over heels
indecent; shameful; unsightly; pathetic
sour (expression); (lit.) as if having swallowed a bitter bug
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
way of doing
striped pattern
rearranging; remodeling; remodelling
Chinese design; Chinese style; traditional architecture associated with Zen
manner of walking; horse gait
(traditional) Japanese style
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
confusing set-up; puzzling method
different strokes for different folks; people doing something in their own way
stupid; meaningless; worthless; hopeless (person, situation); beyond help; beyond saving
decorative carving; design; plan; sketch
dilettantish business; amateurish business
the king of fruits (ref. to durian)
each of the three being different from the other two; each of the three having his (her) own way
gushing forth; bursting out; (lit.) like breaking a dam
vague; unclear; elusive; hazy
state; condition; the way things should be; ideal state; truth
woven pattern or design
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
dilettantism; amateurism (in art)
how; in what way
so; like that; that's right; indeed; let me see...
individual (different) ways of doing things; being different (varied) for each item (type)
geometric pattern
fraud; trickery; hoax; surely; absolutely; certainly
daughter (of a good family)
as if it were about oneself
complex and multifarious
manner of speaking; mode of expression; way of saying something; at the same time as speaking; as one speaks
thankfully; fortunately; luckily; thanks to your (his, their, everyone's, etc.) kindness; thanks to your assistance; thanks to your support
many ways; various methods
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
black-spotted pond frog (Rana nigromaculata)
facets (aspects) of (human) life; the pattern of (one's) life
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
attitude; move; measures (to take)
thin Japanese paper (esp. vellum paper); Japanese tissue
our gracious (e.g. Queen); honorific that attaches to name of a person or thing that has bestowed grace or favour upon you
way of thinking; one's perspective
person of high standing facing no opposition and with a warped view of reality; (lit.) naked emperor
senior female worker who supervises junior employees in a domineering fashion
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
thanks for taking care of me; thanks for taking care of my loved one
lower classes; common people
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
(someone's) assistance; help; aid; grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); blessing
changing completely; transformation
hopeless; irredeemable
so many men, so many ways; to each one's own; it takes all sorts to make a world
serves you right!; see what happens!
hard to believe; fabulous; unbelievable; incredible
ciliary body (of the eye)
(someone's) assistance; help; aid; grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); blessing
to sleep like a log; to sleep like a baby
I; me; self-centered man; egotistical man; pompous man
stunning; electrifying; striking; eye-popping; brilliant
brought up in luxury
state; condition; situation; terms
whatever will be, will be; things happen the way they happen
according to circumstances; dependent on the state of things
(clothing) patterned all over
condition; state (of health); appearance
beyond comparison; incomparable
grandmother; old woman; female senior citizen
Ladies and Gentlemen!; all of you; everyone
piercing (cold); biting (wind)
things depend on how you look at them
embroidered design
Buddha; Shakyamuni; the historical Buddha (5th c. BCE?)
kid's meal; special meal prepared for children at a restaurant
to change completely; to transform
expression of gratitude
thank you for your hard work; good work; see you; goodbye; goodnight
lord; nobleman; daimyō; dignitary; master
customer appreciation day (retail sales day)
verse form from the Heian and Kamakura periods consisting of 4 lines each divided into two parts of 7 and 5 syllables
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
an infinite variety; multifarious; being extremely varied and wide-ranging
regular customer; valued client
hard to believe; fabulous; unbelievable; incredible
unnatural; artificial; false; forced (e.g. smile); empty (e.g. compliments)
the founder of our sect (esp. in reference to Nichiren)
wide-ranging and diverse; multifarious
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
hopeless; good-for-nothing; incorrigible; foolish; preposterous; absurd
traditional Zen-style architecture
vermiform process; vermiform appendix
Manjusri (bodhisattva)
standards author; writer of standards
Aran (sweater pattern)
point of view; way of seeing
that's too bad; too bad for you!
kokkuri; divination technique similar to table turning and planchette
sleeping posture
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless; there is no way out of it
one person; one customer; unmarried and childless older woman
display of dolls during Hinamatsuri; Hinamatsuri (March 3); Girls' Festival; Dolls' Festival
indecent; shameful; unsightly; pathetic
scattered pattern; irregular pattern
herring-bone pattern; herringbone pattern
thanks to your assistance; thanks to your help; thanks to your support
wait-and-see; sitting on the fence; waiting to see which way the wind blows
test specification
serves you right!; see what happens!
it serves you right
showery sky; (it is) looking showery
beyond comparison; incomparable
customer copy (of a receipt, etc.)
thick Japanese paper (esp. vellum paper)
we are of equal status in this regard; we are in the same boat; the same to you; the feeling is mutual
senior female worker who supervises junior employees in a domineering fashion
though it seems big, it's a small world
king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
thank you for your trouble; unfortunately ...
latest fashion; trend of the times
tasteless; dry as dust; insipid; flat; dull
Doric order (building)
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless; there is no way out of it
in this manner; in this way; like this
indescribable; having no way to express
carrying a person in one's arms; princess carry; bridal carry
Mr.; Mrs.; Ms.
gushing forth; bursting out; (lit.) like breaking a dam
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting
whatever will be, will be; things happen the way they happen
Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; clitoris
(someone's) assistance; help; aid; grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); blessing
kid's lunch; kid's meal
clear-cut and straightforward; (of a person) forward-thinking; honest; upright
monk; priest; boy
serves you right!; see what happens!
precedent; example
a great variety of; all sorts or kinds of; multifarious
(translucent) aqueous solution
so ... that ...; to that extent; to that degree
the customer is always right; the customer is king
to flash before one's eyes (of memories, etc.)
migratory locust (Locusta migratoria)
thanks to your assistance; thanks to your help; thanks to your support
things depend on how you use them; all things have their uses when they are used in the right way
way of doing something
daughter (of a good family)
to sleep like a log; to sleep like a baby
unmanly; weak; irresolute; sissy; acting like a woman
words; expression
everything comes in handy when used correctly; use the right tools for the right job; (lit.) fools and (blunt) scissors have to be used in the right way
being on one's back
be careful what you say; consider your words
way of hearing; way a spoken statement is taken; way of asking
way of hearing; way a spoken statement is taken; way of asking
as if Christmas and one's birthday had come at the same time; as if Lady Luck had just visited twice; (lit.) as if the Bon Festival and New Year had come at the same time; as if the two busiest days of the year had come at the same time
eeny, meeny, miny, moe; eenie, meenie, minie, moe
child dying before parents; occurrence out of sequence; wrong order
karayuki-san; young Japanese women who were sent to work (mainly as prostitutes) in foreign countries, esp. in Southeast Asia (Meiji to early Showa)
karayuki-san; young Japanese women who were sent to work (mainly as prostitutes) in foreign countries, esp. in Southeast Asia (Meiji to early Showa)
Everything depends on how you look at it
customer copy (of a receipt, etc.)
specification documents
great diversity of form
amateur work (in art); work done in carefree mood without regard to time or expenses
internal method; inner resources
upside down; inside out
paper doll modeled after a kimono-clad woman (modelled)
another's wife; another's daughter
another's wife; another's daughter
amateurish way of doing business
Corinthian order (building style)
arching backward; looking up
Byzantine style (of architecture)
extended memory specification; XMS
program specification
uniform random number; uniformly distributed random number
functional specification
harsh words make the going rough; consider your words; people may be offended (or not) by the way you speak
reticular formation
algebraic variety; locus defined by polynomial equations
first-run limited edition technical recording
single pattern on the entirety of a garment
modern; latest; up-to-date
modern; latest; up-to-date
multimodality; polymodality
parent who behaves like everyone owes them
calico plant (Alternanthera ficoidea)
Examples (200 in total)
Who do you think you are?
What did she look like?
He seemed worried about his health.