Prefixes お / ご — Beautifying Language & Honorifics [JLPT N4]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
“O-mizu,” “o-namae,” “go-juusho” — when to use お vs ご, the rules, with examples.
「お名前」「ご住所」 — when to add お, when to add ご?
「お名前」「ご住所」 — 「お」「ご」 are prefixes placed before nouns to make words polite and refined. But why does 「名前」 take お and 「住所」 take ご? The big rule: お attaches to “native words” (kun'yomi Japanese words), ご to “Sino-Japanese words” (on'yomi kanji words). It has two functions: beautification (simply refined: お茶, お金) and honorific (showing respect: お名前). This guide covers the お／ご distinction and functions.
Core: お for native words, ご for Sino-Japanese words
The big rule sorts by word origin:
- お = native (kun'yomi) words: お名前, お金, お茶… native kun'yomi words.
- ご = Sino-Japanese (on'yomi) words: ご住所, ご連絡, ご家族, ご説明… on'yomi kanji words.
Two functions: ① beautification (simply refined: お茶, お店); ② honorific/humble (respect for the other's things: お名前, ご意見).
How to Connect
| Prefix | Attaches to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| お | native (kun'yomi) | お名前・お金・お茶 |
| ご | Sino-Japanese (on'yomi) | ご住所・ご連絡・ご家族 |
| exceptions | some Sino-Japanese take お | お電話・お時間・お料理 |
Examples in context
- お名前を教えていただけますか。(May I have your name?) — お ＋ native
- ご連絡ありがとうございます。(Thank you for contacting me.) — ご ＋ Sino-Japanese
- お茶でもいかがですか。(Would you like some tea?) — beautification
- ご家族はお元気ですか。(Is your family well?) — ご ＋ Sino-Japanese
- お時間ありますか。(Do you have a moment?) — exception (Sino-Japanese with お)
⚠️ Easy traps to avoid
① お for native, ご for Sino-Japanese. お名前 (native), ご住所 (Sino-Japanese). Test: kun'yomi (native) words take お, on'yomi kanji words take ご. But exceptions (お電話, お時間, お料理 — Sino-Japanese yet take お) must be memorized.
② Don't add it to “your own things” carelessly. お／ご show respect for the other's things (お名前 = your name); for your own things you generally don't add it (私の名前, ✗ 私のお名前 unless beautification). But beautification (お茶, お金) is pure refinement, regardless of whose.
③ Loanwords don't take お／ご. コーヒー, ビール, テレビ (loanwords) take no お／ご (✗ おコーヒー). お／ご only attach to native and Sino-Japanese words.
🔄 How it differs: お／ご／beautification vs honorific
| Use | Rule／function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| お ＋ native | kun'yomi words | お名前・お金 |
| ご ＋ Sino-Japanese | on'yomi words | ご住所・ご連絡 |
| beautification | pure refinement (no respect) | お茶・お店 |
| honorific | respect for the other | お名前・ご意見 |
💡 An exam judgment tip
The big rule is easy: お for native words (kun'yomi: お名前, お金), ご for Sino-Japanese words (on'yomi: ご住所, ご連絡). But there's a batch of exceptions (お電話, お時間, お料理, お食事 — Sino-Japanese yet take お) — memorize these frequent ones. Two functions: beautification (お茶, お金 — pure refinement, everyone uses) and honorific (お名前, ご意見 — respect for the other's things). Practical note: loanwords take no お／ご (no おコーヒー). Get お／ご right and your Japanese instantly reads refined and polite.
❓ Common questions
Q: How do I decide お vs ご?
By word origin: kun'yomi “native words” take 「お」 (お名前・お金・お茶・お仕事); on'yomi “Sino-Japanese words” take 「ご」 (ご住所・ご連絡・ご家族・ご説明). Simple: native → お, Sino-Japanese → ご. But a batch of exceptions (お電話・お時間・お料理・お食事・お約束 — Sino-Japanese yet customarily take お) must be memorized. Loanwords (コーヒー etc.) take neither.
Q: Beautification vs honorific お／ご — what's the difference?
Whether it shows respect for “the other.” Beautification: simply makes a word refined and polite, not specific to the other (お茶 = tea, お金 = money, お店 = shop — used about yourself too); honorific: respect for the other's things or actions (お名前 = your name, ご意見 = your opinion). The same 「お」 on an everyday word you'd use of yourself is beautification; on the other's things showing respect, it's honorific.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「___住所を教えていただけますか。」(your address, keigo)
(A) お (B) ご (C) either A or B (D) none needed
Q2. 「___連絡ありがとうございます。」(thank you for your contact)
(A) お (B) ご (C) either A or B (D) none needed
Q3. How do you make 「コーヒーでもいかがですか」 more polite?
(A) おコーヒーでもいかがですか
(B) ごコーヒーでもいかがですか
(C) コーヒーでもいかがでしょうか
(D) A is most polite
Q4. The rule is お〜 for native (wago) words and ご〜 for Sino (kango) words. Why is 「電話」 given お?
(A) 電話 is a native word
(B) a customary exception (電話 is Sino but conventionally takes お)
(C) ご電話 is also fine
(D) 電話 needs no prefix
Q5. 「先生が___帰りに___なりました。」(the teacher went home, respectful)
(A) ご・なさい (B) お・なり (C) お・なった (D) ご・に
Answer Key
1. (B) ご ── 住所 (じゅうしょ) is a Sino word (on'yomi), so ご: ご住所.
2. (B) ご ── 連絡 (れんらく) is a Sino word, so ご: ご連絡.
3. (C) コーヒーでもいかがでしょうか ── loanwords don't take お/ご; politeness comes from でしょうか.
4. (B) ── a customary exception: 電話 is Sino but conventionally takes お (お電話).
5. (B) お・なり ── お ＋ 帰り ＋ になる = the respectful 「お〜になる」 pattern: お帰りになりました.