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Why do people have to add "o" to "namae" like "Onamae wa?"

Andrew Grimm
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kikita123lion
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1 Answers1

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お and ご are prefixes used to make a word sound more respectful/polite.

お prefixes words with kunyomi readings such as:

  • お客さん
  • お手洗い
  • お茶

ご prefixes words with onyomi readings such as:

  • ご飯
  • ご利用
  • ご注文
agnesi
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  • But namae is kun reading, isn't it? – kikita123lion Mar 30 '16 at 03:58
  • My bad, I mixed up the names. – agnesi Mar 30 '16 at 04:01
  • It should be noted that there are exceptions, like 「お茶{ちゃ}」「お誕生日{たんじょうび}」「ごもっとも」「ごゆっくり」. –  Mar 30 '16 at 18:41
  • Looking more closely at your answer, I see you've listed お客さん and お茶, but きゃく and ちゃ are on'yomi, not kun'yomi. –  Mar 30 '16 at 20:03