Customer in Japanese?
How to say customer in Japanese? In Japanese, the world “customer” is “お客様” (Okyakusama). Let’s break down the components of this word and explore how to express the concept of a guest in Japanese
Honorific Prefix お (O)
- The honorific prefix “お” (O) is added to the word “客様” to show respect and politeness. Honorific prefixes are commonly used in Japanese to elevate the politeness level of a word.
Customer 客様 (Kyakusama)
- The term for “customer” in Japanese is “客様” (Kyakusama).
- “客“(Kyaku) means “customer” or “guest”, and “様” (Sama) is an honorific suffix used to express respect.
Putting it together, “お客様” (Okyakusama) is a polite and respectful way to refer to a customer or guest in various contexts, such as in a hotel,restaurant, or any service-oriented setting.
Usage Examples
Welcoming Customer
- When welcoming customer to an event, establishment or your home, you can use phrases like – いらっしゃいませ！お客様、ようこそです。(Irasshaimase! Okyakusama, youkoso desu) [Welcome! Customer, welcome)
In a Restaurant
- If you’re working in a restaurant and want to attend to the guests, you might say – お待たせいたしました。お客様のご注文をお伺いいたします。(Omata-seitashimashit. Okyakusama no gochuumon o ukagai itashimasu) [Thank you for waiting. I will now take your order]
In a hotel
- When working in a hotel, you might use phrases like – お部屋へのご案内、いたします。お客様のご不明点がございましたら、お気軽にお申し付けください。(Oheya e no goannai, itashimasu. Okyakusama no gofumeiten ga gozaimashitara, okigaru ni omoshi-tsuke kudasai) [I will guide you to your room. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask)