貴〜 (ki~) — your (company / school …) — respectful prefix
A prefix that raises the other side's company, school or person — a must in job applications and business letters.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- When job-hunting in Japan, in the email you send with your 履歴書 or in your statement of motivation (志望動機), you write: 「貴社の理念に共感し、応募いたしました」— 'I applied because I share your company's philosophy.'
- Applying from a language school to a vocational school (専門学校), it's 「貴校」, and even a rejection email says 「貴殿の今後のご活躍をお祈り申し上げます」.
Meaning
「貴（き）」means 'precious, honoured' — placed in front of a word for the other side's organisation or person, it raises them.
How to attach
- It doesn't attach to just any word — only to fixed words like 貴社・貴校・貴店・貴院・貴殿 (貴スマホ ×).
- 「尊〜」and 「高〜」do the same kind of job: ご尊父 (your father), ご高覧 (your looking at it).
Versus what you know
N2In the keigo, verbs like 「いらっしゃる」「ご覧になる」raised the other side; 「貴〜」does the same job for nouns.
Watch out
- One important rule: 「貴社」is a written word; in an interview or on the phone you say 「御社（おんしゃ）」.
- The key rule: 「貴」is always for the other side — you never call your own company 「貴社」; for that there is the next point, 「弊〜」.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
貴社の求人情報を拝見し、応募させていただきました。
きしゃのきゅうじんじょうほうをはいけんし、おうぼさせていただきました。
I saw your company's job posting and have applied.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 貴 = your (respectful) → 社 = company → 貴社 = your company (in writing) → の求人情報を拝見し = having seen the job posting → 応募させていただきました = I have applied.
貴校で介護福祉を学びたいと考え、志望いたしました。
きこうでかいごふくしをまなびたいとかんがえ、しぼういたしました。
I applied because I want to study care work and welfare at your school.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 貴 + 校 = 貴校 = your school (on application forms) → で介護福祉を学びたい = I want to study care and welfare → 志望いたしました = I applied.
貴殿の今後ますますのご活躍をお祈り申し上げます。
きでんのこんごますますのごかつやくをおいのりもうしあげます。
We wish you every success in the future.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 貴 + 殿 = 貴殿 = you (to a person, in a formal letter) → 今後ますますのご活躍 = even greater success in the future → お祈り申し上げます = we wish (the last line of a rejection email).
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
(In an email sent with your résumé) 「＿＿の求人を拝見し、ご連絡いたしました。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Whose job opening is it — yours or ours?
An applicant writing about the other side's company says 「貴社」. 弊社・当社・我が社 all mean 'our company'.
In which sentence is 「貴」unnatural?
💡 Hint: Does 貴 attach to every word?
貴 attaches only to fixed words like 社・校・店・殿. For a smartphone, say 「お使いのスマホ」.
'Your company' — written in email, and spoken in an interview?
💡 Hint: 貴社 is a written word.
Write 貴社, say 御社 (おんしゃ). 弊社・当社 mean 'our company'.
Your score: /3