What is the difference between chan, san, kun, etc?

Question:

im new to japanese, and i was curious (i see this in my animes) what the difference between chan, san, kun (there may be more but I dont know them, i think theres rin too.) what is the reason for the different words for endings. thanks. ^_^

Answer:

-chan is a term of endearment for girls. You might use it for a small girl or a close female friend. -Kun is used for boys. It can be used in the same way as -chan, however I noticed that the teachers at the school where I worked (a junior high school) often addressed the boys as -kun and the girls as -san, so I don't think there is a direct correlation between -chan and -kun. -San is a general honorific and is roughly (but not quite) equivalent to Mr./Mrs/Ms./Miss. You would use it for anyone you don't know well, someone you respect, and the like. -Sama isn't used very much these days, though you might hear it in phrases like "okyakusama" ("honorable customer") and is similar to -san but more formal and respectful. When in doubt you should probably default to -san, not -sama.