The Japanese term for ‘greeting’ is aisatsu (挨拶 / あいさつ). Aisatsu refers not only to the phrases used when meeting someone, but also gestures and actions that come alongside them.
Having these few aisatsu under your belt will be a great help upon your arrival in Japan! You will also need to be able to discern which Japanese greetings are suitable depending on the formality of the situation.
As politeness is a huge thing over in Japan, having an idea of what to say and do when meeting someone is a great way to impress others and gain their respect!
Hajimemashite
初めまして
Nice to meet you
The word hajimete (初めて / はじめて) means ‘for the first time’ in Japanese. Hajimemashite (初めまして) is a greeting used when you meet someone for the first time.
➡️ Learn more: How to Say ‘Nice to Meet You’ in Japanese
Yoroshiku (onegaishimasu)
よろしく(お願いします)
Please treat me well
Yoroshiku (よろしく), polite form —yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします / よろしくおねがいします), is a Japanese greeting used when meeting someone for the first time, along with hajimemashite.
The phrase is a bit difficult to translate as we don’t have an equivalent in English. It conveys a feeling of ‘please take care of me’ or ‘please treat me favourably’.
It is essentially a friendly way to show your intentions for a good relationship with the person you are meeting.
Konnichiwa
こんにちは
Hello
I’m sure you are familiar with the word konnichiwa (こんにちは). This is ‘hello’ in Japanese! It is suitable for use in any situation, be it formal or casual.
Note that although it is spelled with a ha (は), it is pronounced as wa in this greeting!
You can pretty much use konnichiwa at any time of day, but if you want more variation in your vocabulary let’s look at some other Japanese greetings you can use in different contexts!
➡️ Learn more: 19 Different Ways to Say Hello in Japanese
Ohayou (gozaimasu)
おはよう(ございます)
Good morning
Ohayou (おはよう) means ‘good morning’ in Japanese. If you want to say ‘good morning’ in a more polite way, you can say ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます).
These days, ohayou has become a popular slang term in young people’s vocabulary! Regardless of whether it’s morning or not, they like to use ohayou as a greeting between friends.
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Konbanwa
こんばんは
Good evening
Konbanwa (こんばんは) means ‘good evening’ in Japanese. Similarly to konnichiwa, konbanwa is a polite yet casual greeting and can be used in any degree of formality.
You may see it written as 今晩は, with the kanji meaning ‘this evening’ or ‘tonight’.
Oyasumi (nasai)
おやすみ(なさい)
Goodnight
Oyasumi (おやすみ) is ‘goodnight’ in Japanese. It comes from the word yasumi (休み / やすみ) which means ‘rest’.
Oyasuminasai (おやすみなさい) is the more polite version, used when speaking to an elder or in a business setting.
➡️ Learn more: 8 Ways to Say Goodnight in Japanese
Ossu
おっす
Hey
Ossu (おっす) is strictly casual! It is said to be an extremely shortened version of ohayou gozaimasu and although spelled with a ‘u’ at the end, its pronunciation sounds like ‘oss’.
It is worth noting that it is used more by men rather than women, as it can come across as rather indelicate…
Yahoo
ヤッホー
Yo
Yahoo (ヤッホー / やっほー) is another informal greeting. It can be translated as a ‘yo’ and is generally uttered in an upbeat, almost musical way, similar to how say ‘yoo-hoo’!
Unlike ossu, this phrase is used by both men and women.
Moshi moshi
もしもし
Hello (on the phone)
Moshi moshi (もしもし) is a another greeting that means hello, however it is only used when speaking on the phone!
(O) hisashiburi (desu)
(お)久しぶり(です)
Long time no see
Hisashiburi (久しぶり / ひさしぶり) is a greeting that means ‘nice to meet you’. If we break it down: Hisashii means ‘long (time that has passed)’ and buri means ‘since’ or ‘after’ (a period of time).
Hisashiburi is suitable for informal situations, though it is still polite. If you want to say it more politely, you can employ the honorific o (お) and the polite ending desu (です) to make: ohisashiburi desu.
If you want to be more casual, you can shorten it to hisabisa!
➡️ Learn more: How to Say ‘Long Time No See’ in Japanese
Tadaima
ただいま
I’m home
Tadaima (ただいま) is a greeting that means ‘I’m home’ or ‘I’m back’.
You can use this when you come home from work or school, and whoever is welcoming you home will say okaeri (おかえり) to express ‘welcome home’ or ‘welcome back’.
Ojama shimasu
お邪魔します
Excuse the intrusion
Ojama shimasu (お邪魔します / おじゃましま) is a very common greeting used when entering someone’s home or space. Jama translates as ‘hindrance’ or ‘intrusion’.
Due to its literal meaning, it seems like a highly polite phrase reserved for the highest of our superiors. But it is actually an everyday phrase that is suitable for use with friends or higher ups alike!
Irasshaimase
いらっしゃいませ
Welcome (to an establishment)
If you have ever been to a retail store or restaurant in Japan, you will have definitely heard the workers shouting irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ)!
It is a polite phrase that workers use to welcome customers into an establishment and is a staple in Japanese culture.
Youkoso
ようこそ
Welcome (nice to see you)
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Youkoso (ようこそ) is one of the first phrases you will see when touching down in Japan as it is sprawled across murals in the airport arrivals!
You can use it to welcome someone to your country, home or other place.
Example:
Nihon e youkoso
日本へようこそ
にほんへようこそ
Welcome to Japan
Japanese Greeting Etiquette
Here are a couple of tips you should know about greeting culture in Japan:
- Bowing is a big part of greeting culture in Japan, just like in many other East Asian countries. In Japanese, it is referred to as ojigi (お辞儀 / おじぎ) and is much more widely practiced over the western handshake. Depending on the level of formality, the bowing style differs. More casual interactions employ a slight bow of the head while the deeper and longer the bow expresses a more profound sense of respect and gratitude.
- If you are greeting someone at their door and they are inviting you into their home, make sure to take off your shoes in the genkan or ‘entrance’! You should place your shoes pointing towards the door to allow for ease of exit when leaving. Some households will provide slippers to wear indoors, but if not, be prepared to walk around in socks, as outdoor shoes inside are a big no no!
Basic greetings in Japanese
Now you know some essential Japanese greetings, both formal and casual! It might seem a lot, but I promise you these are some of the most used phrases in Japanese and you will use (most of) them every day if you live in Japan!
To learn more essential Japanese phrases, our top recommended online course is JapanesePod101. Sign up for free!
JapanesePod101 is our top recommendation to learn Japanese online. We love the fun, current audio lessons and interactive online tools. Sign up for your free lifetime account and see for yourself!
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Hannah is a half Irish/half Japanese girl living in Ireland. Her love for Japan and the Japanese language led her to studying languages and translation in university where she specialised in Japanese. She spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. In her free time, Hannah enjoys using her sewing machine to upcycle clothes and create new pieces!