Most nouns in the Japanese language may be made polite by the addition of "o-" or "go-" as a prefix. "o-" is generally used for words of native Japanese origin, whereas "go-" is affixed to words of Chinese derivation. In some cases, the prefix has become a fixed part of the word, and is included even in regular speech, such as "gohan" 'cooked rice; meal.' Such a construction often indicates deference to either the item's owner or to the object itself. For example, the word "tomodachi" 'friend,' would become "o-tomodachi" when referring to the friend of someone of higher status (though mothers often use this form to refer to their children's friends). On the other hand, a polite speaker may sometimes refer to "mizu" 'water' as "o-mizu" in order to show politeness.