any one from Japan or speaks Japanese

[malachite]

So I've been watching a lot of anima lately, and I was just wondering why do people say the person's name with Chan. like

Eddie-Chan
or
Usagi-Chan

What does it mean? is it like saying my friend?

Let me know I live in darkness.

[fallendream]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-chan#Chan

It's also a guide to japanese suffixes in name.

[malachite]

Originally Posted by fallendream

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-chan#Chan

It's also a guide to japanese suffixes in name.

I saw this, but I didn't know how accurate wika is, I've seen things on there before there were totally off base.

Thanks for the input though

[507bro]

Chan is pretty much used for kids, someone younger than you.

[Gaetan]

-chan is for young girls, occasionally for boys (said by women; a grandmother might call her young grandson -chan.). -kun is the same thing, only used for boys (exclusively).

It is sometimes used as a taunt.

[Tim]

Isn't it typically only used by a taunt to people who are enemies, or strangers?

AKA, Insinuating you're friends, when you aren't, thus taunting the other person into getting mad?

[Dewey]

ちゃん(chan) and くん(kun) are both suffixes you place after a persons name. They are both used to show closeness to the person being spoken to. The only difference is girls use chan and boys use kun. Of course there are some exceptions but they are just what they are -- exceptions. Don't refer to yourself as chan or kun cause it doesn't make sense. Among chan and kun, there are also suffixes such as さん(san) meaning Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. or さま(sama) which is used to show respect towards someone or something of a much higher status than you.

[Cheria]

Typically for little girls, but teenage girls who are really close friends will use that for each other.

Though if you wanted to tease a guy, it's a very effective method.

[sexyalex]

Originally Posted by malachite

So I've been watching a lot of anima lately, and I was just wondering why do people say the person's name with Chan. like

Eddie-Chan
or
Usagi-Chan

What does it mean? is it like saying my friend?

Let me know I live in darkness.

Lawls. Have you been watching Junjo Romantica?

Anyhow. Chan is a title...(Japanese people are just polite like that) that is placed at the end of a girls name or someone your close to. Idk about age, but if my knowledge is correct (observing in animes for over 5 years), chan is used to address older folks and NOT younger.

Btw, chan is a feminine expressed, (I read it in one of those sub notes at the top of the screen when you watch Japanese movies, and shit...) and can be very tricky to understand.
Eg. Onii-chan ( older brother to a sister), Nii-san (older bother to a brother)

Oh, and its, Usagi (which means Jack rabbit)-san.

...and Kun is used among male peers or girl-boy. Or sometimes an elder (sensei) however its spelt really, would call their lowerclassman kun.

It can be a bit confusing but you understand it after awhile.

You know what weird...I can't speak Japanese but I watch soo much anime I really don't need subtitles anymore. Its like I understand what they are saying o_O

[malachite]

no, sexyalex I've been watching Sailor Moon.

Thanks for the responses all, now i know...and know is half the battle!

[KittyBoy]

Ok, setting the record straight, it is a technical term used only for young children. It is mainly used for elder people talking to young children, mostly female children, by their parents or grandparents or elderly members of the community. It is also said to the young male children, mostly by their mothers and grandmothers, as a term of endearment, mostly when they are acting a particular way.

Young children say it to most close relatives; brothers, sisters, cousins, or elderly women they are close with, however, they do not realise that it is an impolite term and most adults allow it until they start schooling.

Another time of using it is when young women and women are close with other young women and women as a deepened term of familiarity. Young men and men often use it as a method of teasing or taunting other young men and men over various things and even as a term of endearment to those whom they are very close to; they have a lot of female friends (some of the girls within that group may call him that as well to show their friendship with each other), they act with stereotpyical female mannerisms, the way they look, bullying, siblings, close friends, and in some case lovers, and etc.