There is a popular Japanese phrase meaning “beginning and ending with courtesy (Rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru)”. The idea originates from “Budo”, Japanese martial arts. In a match, courtesy and decorum are considered as important as victory or defeat. The concept also applies to daily communication: Greetings are considered essential as a form of courtesy and valued in work relationships, friendships, and even parent-child relationships.
Thus, there are a variety of expressions for greetings, depending on not only the time, place, and occasion, but relationship with the counterpart. For this reason, some people from other countries may find it difficult to choose the right one in conversations.
This article introduces some greetings, from formal to informal, especially at the beginning of an encounter, which can have a big impact on the first impression you make. By learning the differences among each phrase, you will be able to greet people with confidence when you visit Japan.
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Hello in Formal Japanese
In Japan, formal Japanese known as “keigo”（敬語）is usually used to talk to superiors (seniors, bosses, teachers, etc.) and people who are not your close friends (a person who you meet for the first time, coworker, etc.). Therefore, formal Japanese is often used at the office or school. Let’s have a look at how to say hello in these situations.
Konnichiwa (こんにちは)
Konnichiwa, meaning “hello”, is used when you meet or visit a superior, boss, teacher, etc. during the daytime. The word also includes the meaning of casual “hi” in some situations.
Konnichiwa is written as “こんにちは” in Japanese alphabet（”Hiragana”）. The last letter “は” originally sounds “ha”, but in this case let’s pronounce it “wa”. (Don’t sigh yet, it’s just the beginning!)
Gokigenyou (ごきげんよう)
Gokigenyou means “hello” and “goodbye”. This is a formal, feminine greeting used in a very limited situations like traditional and conservative girls’ junior high and high schools to greet teachers and classmates. It is rarely used in everyday conversation or in the workplace.
What is “San”（さん）?
In situations where konnichiwa or gokigenyou would be used, make sure you add “san” after the person’s name (If the person’s name is Charlie, call him Charlie-san, for example). It is like Mr., Ms., or Mrs. in English, but you can use the expression regardless of the person’s gender. There is a more formal phrase “sama” to follow the person’s name, but you usually use it only in a letter or an email.
Hello in Informal/Casual Japanese
In Japan, informal/casual Japanese is usually used to talk to people who are junior to you (younger or subordinate), close friends, or family members. Recently, however, it has become more normal to use formal Japanese with people who are junior to you. This is due to the growing awareness that it is important to show respect to others, regardless of age.
Let’s see how to say hello in a casual way.
“Ya” (やぁ) “Doumo” (どうも) “Yahho” (やっほー) “Yo” (よっ) “Ossu” (おっす)
These words are similar in meaning to “Hi” and “Hey”.
“Ya” (やぁ), “doumo” (どうも), and “yahho” (やっほー) are used regardless of gender.
“Yahho” (やっほー) is used not only to mean “hi”, but also to shout out at the top of a mountain or to express joy.
“Yo” and “ossu” have a masculine sound, and “ossu” is famously used by Son Goku（孫悟空）, the main character in a Japanese anime “Dragon Ball”.
All these words are rarely used in a letter or an email even to your close friends. Some typical phrases to greet in that situation are “Genki（元気）?” or “Genki desu ka（元気ですか）?”, both meaning “How are you doing?” or “I hope you are well.”.
What is “Kun（くん）/Chan（ちゃん）”?
“Kun” and “chan” used to be added to names of younger counterparts. Nowadays, however, people normally add them only to very young kids.
For close people, friends, and family members, you can just call out their name (or nickname) without adding any of these endings.
Another Japanese greeting phrase upon meeting
There are many other greetings when meeting someone. Let’s see how each English phrase can be translated.
Good morning
The Japanese equivalents of “good morning” are “Ohayo（おはよう）” and “Ohayo gozai masu（おはようございます）”. “Ohayo” is a casual way to say to your friends and family members, whereas “Ohayo gozai masu” is used in formal situations.
Good evening
The Japanese equivalents of “good evening” are “Konbanwa（こんばんは）” in a formal way. To your close friends and family member, you can just say the aforementioned “Ya” (やぁ), “Doumo” (どうも), “Yahho” (やっほー), “Yo” (よっ), “Ossu” (おっす).
How are you?
“Ogenki desu ka（お元気ですか）?” is used to ask how the counterpart is doing in a formal way. “Genki（元気）?” can be used in casual situations.
Long time no see
When you meet someone you have not seen for a long time, you can say “Ohisashi buri desu（お久しぶりです）” in formal situations. “Hisashiburi（久しぶり）” is the casual way for friends and family members.
Thank you for your hard work today
In Japanese workplaces, the phrase “otsukare sama desu（お疲れさまです）” is very often used as a greeting to thank the other person for his/her hard work. The kanji “疲” literally means “fatigue/tiredness”. However, it is also used in the morning and other times of the day when people are not actually (supposed to be) tired. In those situations, the phrase means more like “hi”.
Nice to meet you
“Hajime mashite（はじめまして）” is used when you meet someone for the first time, regardless of the time, place, and occasion.
Excuse me
“Excuse me” in Japanese is a bit confusing, but the most typical and useful phrase is “Sumimasen（すみません）” just as when you want to address a waiter in a restaurant.
Summary
In Japan, greetings are very important and are valued in work relationships, friendships, and even in parent-child relationships. There are formal and informal ways of saying hello and other greetings, depending on the situation.
In this media series, we will provide a wide range of information on the Japanese language, work in Japan, and Japanese culture for those who are interested in working or living in Japan.