What Is a Prefix in Japanese?
Japanese prefixes（接頭辞 / settōji） are small words added to the beginning of a word, but they can change tone, politeness, and meaning in important ways.
For example:
- ご in ご飯 adds politeness and softness
- 大 in 大火事 adds a sense of size or seriousness
These prefixes do not change grammar — they change how the word feels.
A prefix is a word that comes before another word and adds meaning such as:
- politeness
- size
- emphasis
- evaluation
Japanese prefixes are often taught as simple vocabulary items, but they actually reflect how Japanese speakers perceive objects, actions, and social relationships.
To understand prefixes correctly, one key distinction is essential.
What Counts as a Prefix in Japanese?
Not every word that looks like it has a prefix actually does.
A key condition for a Japanese prefix is this:
👉 The base word must exist and make sense on its own.
Examples:
- 休止 → 小休止
- 冊子 → 小冊子
In these cases, the base word already exists, and the prefix adds meaning such as size, degree, or nuance.
By contrast, if a word does not feel separable in modern Japanese, it is usually not treated as a prefix construction—even if it contains a character that looks like one.
This point is important because many learners try to analyze Japanese words too mechanically, based only on kanji shape.
In real usage, prefixes are defined not by appearance, but by how native speakers process and understand the word as meaning units.
Prefixes by Level — Quick Overview Table (All Levels)
Before looking at beginner prefixes in detail, here is a quick overview of all prefix levels.
(Short table: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced Only list names, no explanations)
This article focuses on Beginner level prefixes.
| Level | Prefix | Core Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | お〜 | politeness / softening | お米（rice） |
| ご〜 | politeness / respect | ご意見（opinion） | |
| 大〜 | big / major | 大問題（big problem） | |
| 小〜 | small / minor | 小冊子（booklet） | |
| 超〜 | very / super | 超楽しい（super fun） | |
| Intermediate | 不〜 | not / non- | 不満足（unsatisfied） |
| 未〜 | not yet | 未完成（unfinished） | |
| 無〜 | without / lacking | 無関係（unrelated） | |
| 再〜 | again / re- | 再発見（rediscovery） | |
| 非〜 | non- | 非公式（unofficial） | |
| 各〜 | each | 各国（each country） | |
| 別〜 | separate / another | 別世界（alternative plan） | |
| Advanced | 反〜 | anti- / opposed to | 反政府（anti-government） |
| 準〜 | semi- / near | 準優勝（runner-up） | |
| 真〜 | completely / truly | 真夜中（midnight） | |
| 旧〜 | former / old | 旧制度（former system） | |
| 新〜 | new | 新商品（new product） | |
| 仮〜 | temporary / provisional | 仮契約（provisional contract） | |
| 同〜 | same | 同意見（same opinion） |
Beginner Prefix ① お〜 / ご〜 (Politeness & Beautification)
Basic Meaning
- adds politeness or softness
- often used with everyday nouns
Examples
お〜 (politeness / softening)
- お茶 (tea)
- お金 (money)
- お名前 (name)
- お水 (water)
- お店 (shop)
- お仕事 (work / job)
ご〜 (politeness / respect)
- ご意見 (opinion)
- ご家族 (family)
- ご連絡 (contact / message)
- ご予約 (reservation)
- ご説明 (explanation)
Key Point
- お〜 is mainly used with native Japanese words
- ご〜 is mainly used with Sino-Japanese words
This distinction is important, but it has many exceptions.
For beginners, it is more useful to notice common patterns than to memorize every rule.
What do “native Japanese words” and “Sino-Japanese words” mean?
- Native Japanese words
Words that originally come from Japanese.
They are often written in hiragana or mixed forms.
Examples: お茶, お水, お名前 - Sino-Japanese words
Words that originally come from Chinese.
They are usually written as kanji compounds.
Examples: ご意見, ご家族, ご連絡
You do not need to identify these categories perfectly.
At the beginner level, it is enough to remember this:
- お〜 often appears with everyday, familiar words
- ご〜 often appears with more formal, kanji-based words
This pattern is far more useful than learning linguistic labels.
👉 Want to learn more? (Deep Dive)
A detailed article comparing お vs ご — including exceptions, patterns, and real usage — is coming soon.
Coming soon: お vs ご — How Native Speakers Choose Prefixes
Beginner Prefix ② 大〜 / 小〜 (Size & Scale)
Basic Meaning
- 大〜 : big / large / major
- 小〜 : small / minor
Examples
大〜
- 大問題 (big problem)
- 大迫力 (powerful / very impressive)
- 大人気 (very popular)
- 大成功 (big success)
小〜
- 小冊子 (booklet)
- 小規模 (small-scale)
- 小旅行 (short trip / small trip)
- 小休止
Why This Prefix Is Easy
- meaning is very close to English “big / small”
- often used in clear, concrete contexts
Beginner Prefix ③ 超〜 (Emphasis, Casual Use)
Basic Meaning
very / super / extremely
Examples
- 超楽しい (super fun)
- 超嬉しい (really happy / super happy)
- 超忙しい (extremely busy)
- 超ムカつく (super annoying / really irritating)
Important Note
- very common in spoken Japanese
- casual and informal
- not used in formal writing
Age and Context Matter
The prefix 超〜 is not neutral.
Its use is strongly associated with:
- younger speakers
- casual, relaxed speech
It is appropriate mainly in:
- close friends
- family
- informal, playful conversation
It is not appropriate in:
- business settings
- formal situations
- polite or professional writing
Teacher’s Note (Usage Awareness)
As a native Japanese speaker in her 40s, the author consciously avoids using 超〜 in daily speech.
This is not because the expression is “wrong,” but because it does not match her age, personal style, or the level of politeness she wants to maintain.
This highlights an important point for learners:
Even grammatically correct expressions can sound unnatural if they do not match the speaker’s age, identity, or social context.
⚠️ Key Caution for Learners
Understanding the meaning of 超〜 is important —
but using it requires careful judgment.
Depending on the relationship and situation:
- it may sound too casual
- it may be perceived as lacking politeness
- it may not match how you want to be seen
👉 In other words, knowing 超〜 and choosing not to use it can be the more natural option.
When Beginner Prefixes Are NOT Used
Words That Look Like Prefixes — But Are Not
Some Japanese words contain characters that look like prefixes, but they are not prefixes in actual usage.
Examples:
- 小学生
- 小説
Although they contain 小, these words are:
- not naturally separable in modern Japanese
- understood as single, complete lexical items
- not formed by “adding 小” as a productive prefix
👉 The key point is not the character, but how the word is processed by native speakers.
You do not think of:
- 学生 → 小学生
- 説 → 小説
in the same way you think of:
- 休止 → 小休止
👉 If a word feels indivisible and complete, it is not treated as a prefix construction.
This is why Japanese prefixes should be learned based on actual usage and meaning, not just character shape.These cases are different from words that cannot take prefixes at all, which we look at next.
Why Some Words Do Not Take Prefixes
Not all Japanese words accept prefixes.
Some words:
- already carry strong meaning
- express deep or absolute emotions
- are highly abstract or conceptual
These are often called words without prefixes.
Why certain words resist prefixes is not random —
it reflects how Japanese categorizes meaning and intensity.
👉 This topic will be explained in detail in the pillar article.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Common Beginner Mistakes with Prefixes
- using お / ご with verbs
- using 超〜 in formal writing
- assuming Japanese prefixes work the same way as English prefixes
Short correction examples will be shown below.
Summary
In this article, you learned:
- what Japanese prefixes are
- the main beginner prefixes: お / ご, 大 / 小, 超
- how prefixes change tone and nuance, not grammar
Understanding prefixes helps you sound more natural and avoid translations that feel mechanical or unnatural.
👉 Next article in this series: coming soon
Podcast & Patreon
If you enjoy this kind of explanation and want to go deeper:
🎧 Podcast
Real Japanese examples explained slowly, with context and natural usage.
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1n1c0UpnnmZ9oQ92DG3OpM?si=LqS_3ubgQje_AetuPsc51Q
Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-why-nihongo/id1867076413
📘 Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/cw/whywhynihongo
On Patreon, you can read a simpler Japanese version of this article in easy, learner-friendly Japanese,
along with structured lessons and deeper grammar explanations beyond textbooks.
