Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 幸運をお祈りいたします | kōun o o-inori itashimasu | |
| 幸運を | kōun o | familiar |
| 頑張ってください | ganbatte kudasai |
This phrase is used to wish someone good luck. Depending on the specific nuance you want to convey, you might focus on luck, happiness, health or success. 幸運をお祈りいたします is most naturally used in written form, such as in letters or formal emails, rather than in spoken conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 幸運をお祈りいたします literally means "I pray for your good luck". The shortened form 幸運を literally means "good luck" followed by an implied verb like "I wish for".
Which one should you use?
While 幸運を focuses on the luck itself, 頑張ってください focuses on the person's effort and is more common when someone is facing a challenge or an exam.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
幸運をお祈りいたします is a highly formal way to say "all the best", suitable for business correspondence or writing to a superior. 幸運を is a familiar form. In informal settings, you can use がんばってね！ to mean "Do your best" or "Good luck" or 幸せをお祈りするよ！ when you want to wish someone happiness.
How do you pronounce it?
kōun o o-inori itashimasu
Did you know?
- In Japan, saying 頑張ってください to someone who is already exhausted or under extreme pressure can sometimes be seen as insensitive or burdensome.
- The verb 頑張る uses the kanji 頑 meaning 'stubborn' and 張 meaning 'stretch' or 'strive'. It describes the act of stubbornly holding one's ground.
- The word for 'luck' in 幸運 contains the character 運, which also means 'transport' or 'movement'.
Examples in context
- 新生活の幸運をお祈りいたします。Shinseikatsu no kouun o oinori itashimasu.I wish you all the best in your new life.
- 今後の幸運をお祈りいたします。Kongo no kouun o oinori itashimasu.I wish you all the best for your future.
Example conversation
Ren is sending a formal farewell message to Himari via email.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんの今後の幸運をお祈りいたします。Himari-san no kongo no kouun o oinori itashimasu.I wish you all the best for your future, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さん、ありがとうございます。Ren-san, arigatou gozaimasu.Ren, thank you very much.
- 蓮 Ren新しい場所でも頑張ってください。Atarashii basho demo ganbatte kudasai.Please do your best in your new place too.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、精一杯頑張ります。Hai, seippai ganbarimasu.Yes, I will do my very best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “all the best” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
