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From Old Japanese. Originally a compound of さ(sa, “that”, pronominal indicating a person, place, thing, or direction in the middle distance) + ま(ma, “likeness, way, similarity”, suffix indicating a quality).[1]
Alternative forms
ざま(-zama)(when used as a suffix in some combinations)
The pronoun senses have largely fallen into disuse. These originated as abbreviations of longer forms 君様(kimisama, literally “lord + that way”), 方様(katasama, literally “that side + that way”), or 貴様(kisama, literally “noble + that way”), with the -sama suffix (see below) developing into an independent use.
attaching to specific nouns or other nominals: thatway, that direction
逆様、横様
sakasama, yokosama
backwards, sideways
(archaic)attaching to verbs: justas(indicating the specific time when the verb is happening)
attaching to verbs: the way of doing something, how one does something (often undergoes rendaku, changing -sama to -zama)
座り様
suwarisama
how one sits
Usage notes
The honorific senses developed out of euphemistic use of the noun sense of sama, “that way”, as an oblique form of reference, starting from around the Muromachi period.[1]
The -sama suffix after personal names is more respectful than the everyday さん(-san), and is generally only used when being very polite. Gender-neutral. This is sometimes glossed as honorable, but honorable is also used as a title, such as for judges or governors or certain ranks of nobility, whereas -sama is purely about politeness and relative social closeness.