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How to : How to Say Hello in Japanese

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Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Standard Greetings

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    1
    Use konnichiwa (こんにちは) to greet most people in most settings. Konnichiwa (koh-nee-chee-wah) is the most common way to say “hello” in Japanese, and is considered an all-purpose greeting. You can use it during the day when greeting anyone, regardless of their social status.[2]

    Pronunciation Tip: In Japanese, syllables aren’t stressed as they are in many other languages. Instead, Japanese syllables are differentiated by the pitch of your voice. The same word said with different pitches can take on different meanings, so listen to Japanese people say any word you want to learn and mimic their tones exactly.

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    2
    Greet people with ohayō gozaimasu (おはよう ございます) in the morning. ohayō gozaimasu (oh-hah-yoh goh-zah-ee-muhss-oo) means “good morning” in Japanese and is the standard greeting that replaces konnichiwa in the early morning hours, typically before 10:00 a.m. This greeting is appropriate with strangers, or when you’re greeting people in a position of authority over you, such as your teacher or your boss.[3]

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    3
    Switch to konbanwa (こんばんは) in the evening. Konbanwa (kohn-bahn-wah) means “good evening” in Japanese and is appropriate to use when you’re greeting anyone in the late afternoon or evening hours after the sun goes down. This greeting is used both when you’re meeting someone and when you’re departing.[4]

    Culture Tip: Because of the formality of Japanese culture, morning and evening are more carefully demarcated from the day than in Western culture. While you would say “hello” in English to anyone at any time of the day, you should never say konnichiwa in the morning or evening.

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    4
    Follow up your greeting by asking o genki desu ka (お元気ですか). O genki desu ka (oh gehn-kee dehss kah) is a polite, formal way to say “how are you?” It can also be a great way to get a conversation started with someone you just met.[5]
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    5
    Answer the phone with moshi moshi (もしもし). While in English you use the same greeting on the phone that you would in person, Japanese has a different greeting that is exclusively for use on the phone. You say moshi moshi (moh-shee moh-shee) whether you are the caller or the person being called.[6]

    Pronunciation Tip: Many Japanese speakers will say this greeting so quickly that it sounds more like “mohsh mohsh,” with the last syllable being virtually silent.

Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Informal Greetings

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    1
    Use an abbreviated version of konnichiwa around people you know. When you’re speaking more rapidly, especially around people you know, it’s acceptable not to fully pronounce all the syllables of konnichiwa. The word instead comes out sounding something like “konchiwa.”

    • You will hear this abbreviated version particularly in urban areas, such as in Tokyo, where Japanese is typically spoken much more rapidly.
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    2
    Shorten your greetings among friends and family members. All of the standard Japanese greetings become shortened when you’re talking to people your own age or younger, or people you know well. Some shortened greetings include:[7]
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    3
    Say ossu if you are male and greeting close male friends. Ossu (ohss) is an informal greeting, similar to saying “hey man” or “hey dude” in English. It is used exclusively between male friends and relatives who are around the same age.[8]
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    4
    Greet friends with yaho if you are a young person. Yaho (yah-hoh) is an extremely informal greeting, typically used by girls to greet other girlfriends. Even if you are older, you can still use this greeting among friends if you feel young and hip.[9]

    Culture Tip: Some Japanese people, and some regions generally, are more formal than others. When in doubt, wait to use slang until the other person has used it first.

Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Proper Bowing Practices

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    1
    Accompany your greeting with a bow. Japanese speakers typically bow while saying the word they’re using as a greeting as a sign of respect to the person they’re greeting. This means you would bow while saying the word konnichiwa – not afterwards.[10]
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    2
    Bend from the waist with a straight back and your arms by your side. Bowing with just your shoulders or your head is seen as rude if you’re bowing to someone you don’t know, an elder, or an authority figure. Keep your arms straight with the backs of your hands facing the person you’re bowing to.[11]
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    3
    Return any bow you receive. If you make the initial greeting, typically you’ll bow first. The other person will then bow as they greet you. However, if the other person greets you and bows first, you are expected to bow in response.[12]

    Culture Tip: Try to bow slightly lower than the person you’re bowing to, particularly if they are a stranger, if they’re older than you, or if they’re in a position of authority.

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    4
    Vary the angle of your bow to indicate the level of respect. Japanese culture is hierarchical. How deep you bow indicates the level of formality and social respect for the person to whom you’re bowing. In most situations, a 15-degree bow is appropriate.[13]
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    5
    Bow to each member of a group individually. If you are greeting a group of people, it is customary to greet each one of them individually. This means you will also repeat the ritual of the bow with each person.[14]
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    6
    Nod your head instead of bowing to close friends your age. When you’re greeting close friends, especially if you are younger, there doesn’t tend to be as much formality. However, the custom of the bow persists in a respectful nod of the head as you’re greeting the person.[15]

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