50 ways to say hi and hello in Japanese

If you are learning Japanese or planning to visit Japan, it's essential to know the different ways to greet people. In this article, we'll look at how to say "hi" and "hello" in Japanese and how to use each expression correctly.

Japan is a country with a long history and more than 47 prefectures, each with its own culture and sometimes its own dialect. Add to that a language that places strong emphasis on formality and respect, and you end up with a rich variety of greetings. In this article, you'll find 50 ways to say hi, hello or good morning in Japanese.

We'll start with the most common forms used in everyday life when you meet someone. Phrases like "good afternoon" and "good night" are mentioned in passing but not covered in detail.

We also recommend reading: Greetings, salutations and farewells in Japanese

Contents 11

How to say hi and hello in Japanese

Here are the most common ways to say "hi" in Japanese:

こんにちは (Konnichiwa)

"Konnichiwa" is the most common Japanese greeting and can be used at any time of day. The word combines two Japanese parts: "konnichi" (today) and the particle "wa," which marks the end of the sentence. Together it means "hello" or "good afternoon." It's appropriate to use "konnichiwa" both when meeting someone for the first time and when greeting friends, colleagues and acquaintances.

We recommend reading: Konnichiwa – good afternoon in Japanese: origin and meaning

おはよう (Ohayou)

"Ohayou" is used to say "good morning" in Japanese and is generally used until lunchtime. It's a casual greeting, well suited to friends, family or coworkers you know well. The leading "o" is an honorific particle that shows respect for the person you're addressing.

We recommend reading: What does Ohayou Gozaimasu really mean?

こんばんは (Konbanwa)

"Konbanwa" is used to say "good evening" in Japanese, typically after dinner or when meeting someone at night. It's a casual greeting that also works in more formal contexts such as business meetings. As with "konnichiwa," the particle "wa" marks the end of the sentence.

おっす (Ossu)

"Ossu" is a very casual greeting used mainly between close friends or male colleagues. In some situations it can come across as a little blunt or even aggressive, so it's best used only with people you really know.

お元気ですか (Ogenki desu ka)

"Ogenki desu ka" is a formal greeting that means "How are you?" or "How's it going?" It is a polite way to start a conversation and shows that you care about the other person's wellbeing. "Ogenki" stands for "well-being" or "health," while "desu ka" is a formal question particle.

もしもし (Moshi moshi)

"Moshi moshi" is mainly used when answering the phone. It's a casual greeting that translates as "hello." You can also use it informally when approaching friends or family in a public place.

Also read: Why do the Japanese use Moshi Moshi on the phone?

More ways to say hi in Japanese

Beyond the core forms above, here are 20 more greetings you will hear in daily life:

Ohayou gozaimasu – おはようございます – Good morning (formal)
Ohayou – おはよう – Good morning (casual)
Kon'nichiwa – こんにちは – Hello / good afternoon
Konbanwa – こんばんは – Good evening
Moshi moshi – もしもし – Hello on the phone
Ossu – おっす – Among close male friends
Yo – よぉ – Very casual hi used by young people
Yahho! – やっほ～ – Playful hi, often among girls
Yah! – やぁ – Similar to Yo, casual
Tadaima! – ただいま! – I'm back – when coming home
Saikin dou? – 最近どう – How have you been lately?
(O)hisashiburi – お久しぶり – Long time no see!
(O)genki desu ka – お元気ですか? – How are you?
Dou yo – どうよ? – How's it going?
Ooi – おーい – Hey! – to call someone in the distance
Doumo – どうも – Hi / thanks / goodbye (depending on context)
Otsukare – お疲れ – Recognition after work; also used to greet colleagues
Maido – 毎度 – Welcome to my shop (Kansai)
Irasshai – いらっしゃい – Welcome – typical shopkeeper greeting
Dore dore – どれどれ – «Now, what do we have here?» – informal

You can also check the Suki Desu YouTube channel for a quick video overview of the most common greetings.

Mascot illustration symbolising a variety of Japanese greetings

More greetings – part 2

Yo! – よっ – Casual hi, among men
Yoshi! – よし – «Let's go!» – before a shared activity
Oi – おい – Hey! – among men, fairly blunt
Maa maa – まぁまぁ – «Easy, easy» – half greeting, half defusing
Gokigenyou – ご機嫌よう – Very formal greeting in refined circles
Otsukaresama deshita – お疲れさまでした – Good work – after finishing a task
Osomatsu-sama – お粗末様 – Modest closing greeting after a meal
Gochisousama deshita – ごちそうさまでした – Thank you for the meal – after eating
Itadakimasu – いただきます – Before eating
Hai – はい – Yes – also used as an acknowledgement in conversation
Yoroshiku – よろしく – «Nice to meet you» / «Please take care of it»
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu – よろしくおねがいします – Polite form of yoroshiku
Hajimemashite – はじめまして – Nice to meet you – first meeting
Doozo yoroshiku – どうぞよろしく – Please, let's get along well
Otsukaresama – お疲れさま – Good work – between colleagues
Sayonara – さようなら – Goodbye – formal
Mata ne – またね – See you later – among friends
Mata aimashou – また会いましょう – Let's meet again!
Ja ne – じゃあね – Bye – among friends
Bai bai – バイバイ – Bye – very informal
Oyasumi nasai – おやすみなさい – Good night – formal
Oyasumi – おやすみ – Good night – among close people
Ohisashiburi desu – お久しぶりです – Long time no see – formal
Saikin ikaga desu ka – 最近いかがですか – How have you been? – formal
Kyou wa tenki desu ne – 今日は天気ですね – Nice weather today, isn't it? – small talk opener
Otsukare sama deshita – お疲れさまでした – Good work – after a task
Hai, genki desu – はい、元気です – Yes, I'm doing well – reply to Ogenki desu ka
Itsu mo arigatou – いつもありがとう – Thanks for always being there – to close people
Otsukare sama de – お疲れさまで – Recognition to colleagues
Gokurousama deshita – ご苦労さまでした – Good work! – to subordinates
Yoku irasshaimashita – よくいらっしゃいました – Welcome (very formal)
Okaeri nasai – お帰りなさい – Welcome back – to someone coming home

Hi and hello in other Japanese dialects

Haisai – ハイサイ – Hello in the Ryūkyū / Okinawan dialect
Niihaou – ニーハオ – Borrowed from Chinese «hello»
Haroo – ハロー – Japanized English «hello»
Uissu – ういっす – Alternative pronunciation of ossu
Hayaina (mo) – はやいな(も) – «Ohayou» in the Mie, Wakayama and Aichi dialects
Haeno – はえのー – Good morning in the Miyazaki dialect
Chuusu – チュース – Popular in the 1990s, from the German «Tschüss»
Onroo – おんろー – Hello in the Tsugaru dialect (Aomori)
Eetenkidee – ええてんきでぇ～ – Greeting in the Fukui dialect
Tasshanaka – たっしゃなか – Greeting in the Wakayama dialect
Haenou – はえのう – Greeting in the Miyazaki dialect
Chiwa – ちわっ – Casual male short form of konnichiwa
Chiwassu! – ちわっす! – Alternative to Chiwa, used by men
Chuu wuganabira – 今日拝なびら – Hello in the Okinawan dialect
Haitai – はいたい – Hello in the Okinawan dialect (often among women)
Ukimisoochii – 起きみそーちー – Good morning in the Okinawan dialect
Ohayousan – おはようさん – Good morning in the Kansai dialect
Ohayougansu – おはよがんす – Good morning in the Iwate dialect
Koncha – こんちゃ – Short form of konnichiwa
Ncha – んちゃ – Even shorter form of konnichiwa

"Ohayou" in Japan's 47 regions

Hokkaido	おはよー
Aomori	おはよーごし
Iwate	おはよがんす
Miyagi	おはよー
Akita	おはよー
Yamagata	はやえなっす
Fukushima	はやえなっす
Ibaraki	おはよー
Tochigi	おはよー
Gunma	おはよー
Saitama	おはよー
Chiba	おはよー
Tokyo	おはよー
Kanagawa	おはよー
Niigata	おはよー
Toyama	おはよー
Ishikawa	おはよー
Fukui	おはよさん
Yamanashi	おはよーごいす
Nagano	おはよーござんす
Gifu	おはよー
Shizuoka	いあんばいです
Aichi	はやいなも
Mie	はやいなー
Shiga	おはよーさん
Kyoto	おはよーさん
Osaka	おはよーさん
Hyogo	おはよーさん
Nara	おはよーさん
Wakayama	はやいのー
Tottori	おはよーござんす
Shimane	おはよ
Okayama	おはよー
Hiroshima	おはよーがんす
Yamaguchi	おはよーごぁんす
Tokushima	おはよーがーす
Kagawa	おはよーござんす
Ehime	おはよー
Kochi	おはよー
Fukuoka	おはよーござす
Saga	おはよーござんした
Nagasaki	おはよー
Kumamoto	おはよーござるます
Oita	おはよー
Miyazaki	はえのー
Kagoshima	こんちゃらごあす
Okinawa	っうきみそーちー

You can also find an English-language video in the Suki Desu channel that covers ten more ways to greet people in Japanese.

Hope you enjoyed this roundup! Do you know any other ways to say "hi," "hello" or "good morning" in Japanese? Share them in the comments. We also recommend:

50 ways to say «Hi» and «Hello» in Japanese