Do you know how to say New Year in Japanese? Do you know the different ways and phrases to wish a happy new year in the language? In today’s article, we will learn some new year phrases in Japanese so that you can speak to your friends.
New Year’s Day has been celebrated on January 1st since 1873, when the country adopted the Gregorian calendar (before it used the Chinese calendar). The turn of the year is considered an important event.
Buddhists go to temples to hear the 108 bell tolls at the turn of the year. Others go to hills or temples to see the first sunrise (初日の出 – hatsuhinode).
We also recommend reading: Oshougatsu – New Year in Japan
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Wishing Happy New Year in Japanese
If you want to say just “Happy New Year,” know that in Japanese there are a few different ways to say it. The main and most formal is:
- Shin nen Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu
- 新年明けましておめでとうございます
If we translate it literally, it means “Congratulations New Year.”
The word gozaimasu present in the phrase is to make the phrase more polite and formal. We can simply say akemashite omedetou [あけましておめでとう] without the need to use the kanji. It is also possible to abbreviate by saying ake ome [あけおめ].
A curiosity is that we use (明け) which also means to rise and dawn to refer to the new year. A more obscure way of using this word is to say akete omedetou [明けておめでとう].
Another common expression used is 今年もよろしくお願いします “kotoshimo yoroshiku onegaishimasu,” which literally means “I hope to count on your cooperation this year. Some young people shorten this phrase in casual occasions by saying ことよろ(koto yoro)!
If you are still at the end of the year and want to wish a happy new year, you can also say:
- よいお年をお迎えください。
- Yoi otoshi o omukae kudasai;
- Abbreviated form: Yoi otoshi o! よいお年を！
Other ways to say Happy New Year
Another way to say Happy New Year is by using the expression 新年 (shinnen) which also means New Year. You can say 新年おめでとう (shin nen omedetou) and even 新年明けましておめでとうございます (shin nen akemashite omedetou gozaimasu) this expression is quite formal and is commonly used until the end of January.
On business cards, it is usually written 賀正 (Gashō) which also means Happy New Year. Other words that are not commonly used and also mean Happy New Year are 頌春 (shoushun) and 慶春 (keishun) both have the kanji for spring, and even after researching, I couldn’t find the origin or use of these words; they are probably used in some ceremony or a long time ago.
Wishing a Good End of Year in Japanese
“Nenmatsu” (年末) is a Japanese word that means “end of the year.” It is used to refer to the period from the last day of the year to the first day of the following year.
During this period, people in Japan usually celebrate the New Year and spend time with family and friends. Just as Akemashite is used for New Year, the term Nenmatsu is commonly used to wish a good end of year.
年末よろしく
Nenmatsu yoroshiku
Good luck at the end of the year
年末よろしくお願いします
Nenmatsu yoroshiku onegaishimasu
Please have a good end of year
年末もよろしく
Nenmatsu mo yoroshiku
May you also have a good end of year
年末にもよろしく
Nenmatsu ni mo yoroshiku
May you also have a good end of year
New Year Phrases in Japanese
Here are more New Year phrases in Japanese that you can use to celebrate the new year:
あけましておめでとうございます
Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu
Happy New Year
新年歓迎
Shin nen kangei
Welcome to the new year
頑張れ
Ganbare
Good luck or Let’s go
良いお年を
Yoi otoshi o
Have a good year
新年おめでとうございます
Shinnen omedetou gozaimasu
Happy New Year
記念日おめでとうございます
Kinenbi omedetou gozaimasu
Happy New Year anniversary
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