How to Say Hi in Japanese
Learn how to say hi in Japanese: こんにちは (konnichiwa) is safe, やあ (yaa) is casual, ハロー is borrowed English. Pronunciation, formal vs casual greetings and tips.
Published · 2 min read · Free · No sign-up
Quick answer
The safest way to say 'hi' in Japanese is こんにちは (konnichiwa, kohn-nee-chee-wah), which works any time from late morning to evening. For a truly casual 'hi' between friends, say やあ (yaa) or just おっす (ossu) among young men. The borrowed ハロー (haroo) is also used jokingly.
こんにちは
/kohn-nee-chee-wah/ — Japanese
How to Say Hi in Japanese
Greeting someone in Japanese is easy once you know that the right word depends on the time of day and on how close you are to the person. There is no single word that covers every “hi” the way English does — but こんにちは gets you 90% of the way there.
The Standard Phrase
こんにちは — pronounced kohn-nee-chee-wah (neutral, daytime)
This is the everyday “hello” you can say to almost anyone — a shopkeeper, a colleague, a stranger — from roughly late morning until early evening. It is polite without being stiff, which is why textbooks teach it first.
Copy the Phrase
The Japanese word for “hi / hello” is こんにちは (konnichiwa, kohn-nee-chee-wah).
Formal vs. Casual
| Japanese | Romaji | Pronunciation | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | kohn-nee-chee-wah | Neutral, daytime — safe for anyone |
| やあ | yaa | yaah | Casual “hi/hey” with friends |
| おっす | ossu | ohss | Punchy, masculine “yo” (sports, male friends) |
| よう | yoo | yoh | ”Yo”, very casual |
| ハロー / ハイ | haroo / hai | hah-roh / hai | Borrowed English, playful |
Japanese has no exact casual equivalent of “hi” that is polite enough for strangers, so when in doubt, default to こんにちは. Among friends, やあ or a simple nod with the person’s name works well.
Time-of-Day Greetings
Because こんにちは is daytime-only, you switch greetings as the day moves:
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayou gozaimasu | Good morning | Morning (until ~10–11am) |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello / good day | Daytime |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | Good evening | Evening / night |
The casual short forms are おはよう (ohayou) in the morning; こんにちは and こんばんは have no shorter casual form, so friends often just say やあ or the person’s name instead.
Pronunciation Tips
- こんにちは — say it as five even beats: ko-n-ni-chi-wa. Don’t stress any one syllable heavily.
- The final character is は, which is normally “ha”, but here it is the grammatical particle and is always pronounced “wa”.
- Keep vowels short and clean: the Japanese “o” is like the “o” in “or”, and “i” is like “ee” but quick.
A Cultural Note
A spoken greeting in Japan almost always comes with a small bow (お辞儀, ojigi). Even a slight nod of the head while saying こんにちは signals respect. With friends a casual head-tilt and やあ is plenty; in business, a deeper bow with a proper greeting matters more than the exact words. When greeting someone you’d address politely, you can add their name plus さん (-san), e.g. 田中さん、こんにちは (Tanaka-san, konnichiwa).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say hi in Japanese?
The most reliable greeting is こんにちは (konnichiwa, kohn-nee-chee-wah), meaning roughly 'good day / hello'. For a casual 'hi' with friends use やあ (yaa) or おはよう (ohayou) in the morning. Note that こんにちは is daytime-only — it is not used first thing in the morning or late at night.
How do you pronounce konnichiwa?
こんにちは is pronounced kohn-nee-chee-wah, with each syllable even and clipped: ko-n-ni-chi-wa. The double 'n' (こん) is held slightly. Although it is written ending in は (the topic-marker 'wa'), it is always pronounced 'wa', never 'ha'. Keep the vowels short and pure.
What is a casual way to say hi in Japanese?
Casual options include やあ (yaa) — a light 'hi' or 'hey'; おっす (ossu) — a punchy, masculine 'hey/yo' common in sports and among male friends; and よう (yoo) — 'yo'. Young people also borrow ハロー (haroo, from English 'hello') or ハイ (hai, 'hi') in playful contexts.
Does konnichiwa literally mean hi?
Not exactly. こんにちは comes from 今日は (konnichi wa), literally 'as for today…', the opening of an old phrase like 'how is today treating you?'. The rest was dropped over time, leaving こんにちは as a fixed daytime greeting equivalent to 'hello' or 'good day' rather than a literal 'hi'.
How do you greet someone in the morning or evening in Japanese?
Use おはようございます (ohayou gozaimasu, oh-hah-yoh goh-zah-ee-mahs) for 'good morning' (casual: おはよう, ohayou), and こんばんは (konbanwa, kohn-bahn-wah) for 'good evening'. こんにちは covers the daytime in between. Matching the greeting to the time of day sounds natural and polite.