Can the term お姉さん be used to address female strangers politely?


Can the term be お姉さんbe used to address female strangers politely?




It is customary in Japan to address people unknown to you by the
respectful,term for the position they would appear to hold in their own family
- おじいさん , "grandad", for an elderly man, おばあさん, "granny", for an elderly
woman, おくさん, "married woman" for a woman who would appear to be, say, over
thirty-five. Not all relationship terms are used like this: おかあさん , "mother",
and おとうさん, "father", for example. Also, the age, sex, etc of the speaker
affects usage: a young woman might address a middle-aged man as おじさん ,
"uncle", but I don't think a male of any age would. (I remember the shock I
felt the first time a young woman addressed me as おじさん.) おねえさん , "older
sister", can be used to address a woman in late teens to early twenties. It
is, for example, (or used to be)used to attract the attention of wait-staff in
a cafe or restaurant. But all these need to be used with caution. To attract
the attention of a young woman who, for example, has dropped something in the
street in front of you, it's probably best to use おじょうさん, a respectful word
for daughter or young woman. Take care. You can sound very presumptuous if you
get it wrong.




It is customary in Japan to address people unknown to you by the
respectful,term for the position they would appear to hold in their own family
- おじいさん , "grandad", for an elderly man, おばあさん, "granny", for an elderly
woman, おくさん, "married woman" for a woman who would appear to be, say, over
thirty-five. Not all relationship terms are used like this: おかあさん , "mother",
and おとうさん, "father", for example. Also, the age, sex, etc of the speaker
affects usage: a young woman might address a middle-aged man as おじさん ,
"uncle", but I don't think a male of any age would. (I remember the shock I
felt the first time a young woman addressed me as おじさん.) おねえさん , "older
sister", can be used to address a woman in late teens to early twenties. It
is, for example, (or used to be)used to attract the attention of wait-staff in
a cafe or restaurant. But all these need to be used with caution. To attract
the attention of a young woman who, for example, has dropped something in the
street in front of you, it's probably best to use おじょうさん, a respectful word
for daughter or young woman. Take care. You can sound very presumptuous if you
get it wrong.

