How to Say “Good Morning” in Japanese

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posted on 8 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The phrase “good morning” is a common greeting used in Japan, and is considered the respectful way to greet both strangers and friends before 10 a.m. There are two ways to say “good morning” in Japanese: the casual, informal way and the polite, formal way.

Steps

Informal

Say “ohayo.” Ohayo literally means “good morning,” and is pronounced “oh-high-yoh,” similar to the pronunciation of the state “Ohio.”

Perform a small head nod when saying “good morning” informally to friends and family members. This movement is considered the casual way to bow if you are from the United States or another country, and aren’t familiar with traditional Japanese bowing etiquette.

Formal

Say “ohayo gozaimasu.” This phrase is pronounced “oh-high-yoh go-zah-ee-moss,” with the letter “u” silent.

Accompany the phrase “good morning” with a deep bow between 30 and 90 degrees at the waist if greeting someone formally and politely, or when greeting a superior. This is the appropriate way to deliver the greeting “good morning” in formal situations when spending time in Japan.