How to Say “Good Morning” in Japanese

Last Updated: July 1, 2021

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.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Informal

1
Say “ohayo.” Ohayo literally means “good morning,” and is pronounced “oh-high-yoh,” similar to the pronunciation of the state “Ohio.”^{[1]
X
Research source}
2
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.^{[2]
X
Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Formal

1
Say “ohayo gozaimasu.” This phrase is pronounced “oh-high-yoh go-zah-ee-moss,” with the letter “u” silent.^{[3]
X
Research source}
2
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.^{[4]
X
Research source}

Community Q&A

Question

How do you say the numbers 1–10 in Japanese?

Community Answer

Ichi, ni, san, yon, go, roku, nana, hachi, kyuu, juu. In characters: 一、二、三、四、五、六、七、八、九、十。いち、に、さん、よん、ご、ろく、なな、はち、きゅう、じゅう。
Question

How do I say "I love you" in Japanese?

Community Answer

You could say "Watashi wa anata o aishiteimasu," but it depends on the context and who you are saying it to. For instance, if you're speaking to a friend or a romantic partner, you would say "Aishiteimasu" or "aishiteru."
Question

In Japanese,what does "kornichi wah" mean?

Community Answer

It's not "kornichi wah," it's "konichiwa." It means hello.

Warnings

Make a habit of saying “good morning” to all people you interact with when spending time in Japan or with people of Japanese origin. Japanese culture considers it rude not to greet someone when the moment presents itself, or to greet someone in an offhand, lazy manner.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0