Onsha vs Kisha vs Heisha: Complete Guide to Japanese Business Honorifics with 40 Examples
Published:
Last Updated:
Category: Job Search Preparation & Interview Tips
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
Published:
Last Updated:
Category: Job Search Preparation & Interview Tips
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
Onsha (御社), kisha (貴社), and heisha (弊社) are three indispensable honorifics that appear constantly in Japanese business interviews, sales meetings, and emails. Many people use them interchangeably, but each follows a clear rule, and getting them wrong can leave a poor impression on Japanese business partners. In job hunting in particular, accidentally saying "kisha" in a face-to-face interview or writing "onsha" on your resume is a classic mistake.
This guide explains the meaning and proper usage of onsha, kisha, and heisha, the difference between spoken and written forms, 40 ready-to-use example sentences across interview/email/business-meeting scenes, common NG examples to avoid, and how to substitute them for non-corporate organizations like banks and hospitals. By the end, you will be able to use these three honorifics with confidence in any Japanese business setting.
All three are honorific words for "company," but they differ in (1) whose company they refer to and (2) what setting they belong to. Let's start by locking in the basics.
Put simply: when referring to the other party's company, say onsha aloud and write kisha. When referring to your own company in any external context, use heisha. From here, we'll dig into each term in detail.
Onsha is a respectful term for the listener's company. The prefix 御 (on-) shows respect toward someone or something belonging to them, and combined with 社 (sha, "company") it elevates the entire organization being addressed.
Onsha is a relatively new word, said to have spread rapidly from around the 1990s. Before that, kisha was used in both spoken and written Japanese, but spoken "kisha" sounds identical to several other common words—記者 (kisha, "reporter"), 汽車 (kisha, "steam train"), and 帰社 (kisha, "returning to the office")—causing confusion in conversation. To avoid these homophones, onsha gradually established itself as the standard spoken form.
Kisha is the written counterpart of onsha. It carries the same respectful meaning toward the addressee's company, but is reserved for written contexts. The prefix 貴 (ki-) has been used in Japanese formal writing since the Meiji era for elevating something belonging to the reader.
Kisha and onsha mean the same thing—both elevate the other party's company. The only real difference is the medium they belong to: written for kisha, spoken for onsha. Remember that and you will rarely go wrong. In recent years some writers do use "onsha" in emails as well, and tolerance varies by industry, but when in doubt, follow the traditional rule of "writing equals kisha" to stay safe.
Heisha is a humble (kenjogo) word used to lower your own company in front of an external party. The character 弊 carries connotations like "shabby" or "humble," and lowering one's own side has the effect of elevating the listener. It works in both spoken and written settings, as long as you are addressing someone outside your organization.
A simple rule of thumb: use heisha externally and tosha internally. For press releases addressed to a wide public audience, the neutral "tosha" is generally preferred over the more humble heisha.
The following 40 example sentences are organized into four real-world scenes—job interviews, emails and resumes, business meetings, and self-introductions. Each example is in natural Japanese with an English explanation. Pay attention to how the spoken form and the written form switch even when the content is similar.
In interviews, you are speaking, so always use onsha when referring to the company you are applying to. These 10 examples cover motivation statements, questions to the interviewer, and self-PR moments.
Anything written down—resumes, CVs, application emails—calls for kisha. These 10 phrases cover the entire arc of a job application, from initial inquiry through offer acceptance and polite decline.
When dealing with clients, you often refer to both companies in one sentence. In speech, pair onsha with heisha; in writing, pair kisha with heisha. These 10 examples show common combinations.
When introducing your own company's services or achievements to outsiders, lead with heisha. These 10 versatile lines work for company overviews, service introductions, hiring announcements, and inquiry responses.
Onsha and kisha specifically address joint-stock or limited-liability companies (i.e. 株式会社 or 有限会社). When the counterpart is a different type of organization—such as a bank or hospital—you must swap in a matching honorific, or the listener will sense something off. Memorize the substitutions below.
Note: when dealing with sole proprietors or freelancers, you typically don't use onsha or kisha at all. Refer to them by name—"○○-sama" or "○○-san." For licensed professionals like lawyers and CPAs, address them as "○○ sensei" or "○○ jimusho," and in writing use 貴所 (kisho).
Because the rules are simple, mistakes stand out. Here are five NG patterns that frequently trip up job seekers in particular.
Spoken "kisha" collides with so many homophones (記者, 汽車, 帰社) that listeners stumble for a moment, and the formal written register sounds stiff and awkward when said aloud. In every spoken setting, default to onsha (お-N-sha).
Resumes, CVs, statements of purpose, and any other written documents should use kisha. Writing onsha on application paperwork is considered a breach of business etiquette and can leave a poor first impression at the document-screening stage. Body text of application emails counts as writing too—use kisha there as well.
Occasionally a nervous candidate slips up and refers to their own company as onsha. But onsha always points outward at the listener's organization. When talking about your own company, use heisha (humble) or tosha (neutral). It's an easy slip under interview pressure, so practice the phrasing aloud beforehand.
The respectful nuance is already baked into onsha and kisha. Adding -sama on top creates a double honorific (二重敬語), which is grammatically incorrect. Just "onsha" or "kisha" alone conveys plenty of respect. Likewise, "kisha onchū" is redundant—addresses should read "○○ Co., Ltd. onchū" instead.
Heisha is a humble form aimed at people outside the company. Saying "at heisha…" to your own coworkers in an internal meeting feels off and signals that you don't quite get the term. For internal contexts, lean on tosha (当社), uchi (うち), or jisha (自社) instead.
Below are common situations where applicants ask, "Which one should I use?" Each case lays out the right answer and the reasoning behind it.
If you're speaking onsha aloud and need to clarify something via the meeting chat ("Could you confirm onsha's ○○ once more?"), writing onsha there is fine—chat in this context is an extension of the spoken conversation. When you send a thank-you email after the interview, however, that's a formal written document, so switch to kisha.
If you receive a scout message via a recruiting agency and reply directly to the company, that's a business email—use kisha. If your reply only goes to the agent (who then forwards to the company), address the agent with "○○-sama" but still refer to the hiring company as kisha.
Acceptance and decline communications around an offer are important written exchanges, so kisha is the rule. Phrases like "貴社からの内定を頂戴し、誠にありがとうございました" ("Thank you sincerely for the offer from kisha") work well. If you decline by phone first, use onsha during the call, then follow up with a kisha-formatted email for an extra-polite touch.
Even though casual interviews are not a formal screening, the company is still observing how you carry yourself. Spoken context = use onsha. When referring to your own company, heisha is safest, or you can describe it as "the company I currently work at." Demonstrating proper honorific usage even in a relaxed setting builds trust.
Mastering onsha, kisha, and heisha is a foundational element of Japanese business etiquette. Let's recap the key points one more time.
In job hunting especially, you must switch between saying onsha out loud and writing kisha on paper. Anchor the simple rule—"speak onsha, write kisha, and call your own company heisha"—and use the 40 example sentences above as practice material. Once these honorifics flow naturally, you'll come across as someone with solid business fundamentals.
For additional guidance on job-hunting strategy, interview preparation, and writing application documents, see the other articles in our Job Search Preparation category. Combined with proper honorific usage, they'll help you walk into any interview or business setting with confidence.
Master the use of 「当社」(tosha), 「弊社」(heisha), and 「自社」(jisha) in Japanese business writing. Learn correct reading, when t...
「貴社」(kisha) is the written-language Japanese honorific for another company. Learn the correct reading, common misreading...
A comprehensive guide on how to answer the "What is your desired salary?" question in interviews. Covers how to determin...
