# Is it rude/improper for an older man(40s) to refer to a younger woman(20s) as Ojou Chan ( 'お嬢'ちゃん) **URL:** \ **Category:** Japanese Language\ **Created:** [July 8, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528 "2024-07-08T15:58:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Abarekiller](https://cdck-file-uploads-global.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wanikanicommunity/original/3X/f/d/fd4c154120954695f788402f3bcf4e616499bc2d.png) [@Abarekiller](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Abarekiller)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/1 "2024-07-08T15:58:30Z")
I was wondering is this a real life thing such as a parent to their friends children or is that only in anime? ---
**Author:** ![simias](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/simias/32/791573_2.png) [@simias](https://community.wanikani.com/u/simias)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/2 "2024-07-08T16:11:12Z")
![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/a/2/2/a228b1c4829b1f875657bf6401d3272243a59499.png) ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/c/4/2/c42659d6e00e11986c31d1ef0a66b847e1ea2f2a.gif) ---
**Author:** ![finnra](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/finnra/32/602_2.png) [@finnra](https://community.wanikani.com/u/finnra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/3 "2024-07-08T16:20:31Z")
According to Japanese: the spoken language, page 260 (my ancient textbook: _my emphasis_): > **-tyan̄** is the familiar, diminutive equivalent of **-san̄** , usually affixed to the given name of children and to that of young adults a _a term of intimacy_. Like **-san̄** , it is never used in reference to oneself, or to a member of the in-group when talking to the out-group. At age 20, I believe you are reaching the absolute very edge of what could be called young adults and it’s getting kinda weird tbh. I believe it’s safer to go with **ozyôosan̄** unless you’re in quite familiar company. EDIT: Not to discard the absolute banger “name”-san̄ as a replacement for any personal referent which 9 out of 10 times when talking to out-group people works every time. EDITED AGAIN: to add the exception of you being the 60’s hit singer and actor Kyu Sakamoto addressing a mannequin. [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/7/7/7/77743fbc5466f0a92a93e910c40e58a70a94e22e.jpeg "坂本九「あの娘の名前はなんてんかな」") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEoY3TMVpqw) ---
**Author:** ![adamstan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/adamstan/32/181976_2.png) [@adamstan](https://community.wanikani.com/u/adamstan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/4 "2024-07-08T18:58:28Z")
> [@finnra](#): > > -tyan̄ > [@finnra](#): > > **ozyôosan̄** That romanization is giving me headache 😅 ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/5 "2024-07-08T21:43:14Z")
> [@adamstan](#): > > That romanization is giving me headache 😅 Yeah, it’s Japanese: The Spoken Language. They just straight-up invented their own romanisation system. “It’s more accurate!” That’s been causing many of us pain since the dark days of eGoooott. ---
**Author:** ![finnra](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/finnra/32/602_2.png) [@finnra](https://community.wanikani.com/u/finnra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/6 "2024-07-08T22:25:16Z")
As creative and brilliant as Mrs. Jorden was, JSL romanization is very similar to other systems that already existed at the time (kunrei/nihon) and I’d have to say it’s misleading to say she invented a system. More like stuck pitch accent and nasalization onto an existing system honestly. This is all neither here nor there in a topic about how to address _ladies_. 😼 Edit: Ms - \> Mrs. ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/7 "2024-07-08T22:49:06Z")
Kunrei-shiki doesn’t make my eyes bleed. But regardless, you shouldn’t be relying on romaji anyway. ---
**Author:** ![finnra](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/finnra/32/602_2.png) [@finnra](https://community.wanikani.com/u/finnra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/8 "2024-07-08T22:54:23Z")
I half agree with this (there is after all a reason to me learning all these kanji beyond bragging rights) , but the question came in the shape of roman letters, and it would seem amiss to answer in kana. ---
**Author:** ![rfindley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/rfindley/32/35202_2.png) [@rfindley](https://community.wanikani.com/u/rfindley)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/9 "2024-07-09T20:54:58Z")
> [@Belthazar](#): > > the dark days of eGoooott eGoooott will be forever burned into my mind. I remember decoding it and rejecting it, assuming that I had surely made an error somewhere… and then it turned out to be the right answer. ---
**Author:** ![Belthazar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/belthazar/32/4469_2.png) [@Belthazar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Belthazar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/10 "2024-07-09T22:15:01Z")
Well, it turned out to be the accepted answer, anyway. I still refuse to believe that it was the right answer. ---
**Author:** ![feistypotato](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/feistypotato/32/269241_2.png) [@feistypotato](https://community.wanikani.com/u/feistypotato)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 5:14am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/11 "2024-07-10T05:14:24Z")
I kinda miss those days. WaniKani should send us on another wild durtle chase. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/6/2/a/62a8b0f4c59ff2c5b6651ffcf43531480b3e5297.png) [@system](https://community.wanikani.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 5:14am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/is-it-rudeimproper-for-an-older-man40s-to-refer-to-a-younger-woman20s-as-ojou-chan-%E3%81%8A%E5%AC%A2%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83%E3%82%93/66528/12 "2025-07-10T05:14:56Z")
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