おやすみ、お姉ちゃん
The English phrase "good night sister" is translated into Japanese as おやすみ、お姉ちゃん.
For example, you might say Konbanwa, imōto-chan. Oyasumi nasai. to mean "Good evening, little sister. Good night."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more polite and formal tone, use おやすみなさい、お姉さん. If your sister is older than you, you can use Oyasuminasai, onee-sama. Conversely, Oyasumi, nee-chan! serves as an informal way to say good night to an older sister.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, you never call your own sister お姉ちゃん when talking to someone else. You use the humble term 姉 because referring to your own family with honorifics is considered unnatural.
- In Japan, you might call your older sister onee-san even if she is not your biological sibling, such as a close older female friend or a female shop assistant.
- The word おやすみ comes from the verb 休む, which means 'to rest' or 'to be absent'. This is why the phrase is used not only for sleeping but also when someone is taking a day off from work.
Examples in context
- おやすみ、お姉ちゃん。Oyasumi, oneechan.Good night, sister.
- おやすみ、お姉ちゃん。また明日ね。Oyasumi, oneechan. Mata ashita ne.Good night, sister. See you tomorrow.
- おやすみ、お姉ちゃん。ゆっくり休んでね。Oyasumi, oneechan. Yukkuri yasunde ne.Good night, sister. Get some good rest.
Example conversation
Kenta is leaving the living room to go to bed.
- 結衣 Yui健太、もう寝るの？Kenta, mou neru no?Kenta, are you going to sleep already?
- 健太 Kentaうん、眠いんだ。おやすみ、お姉ちゃん。Un, nemui nda. Oyasumi, onee-chan.Yeah, I'm sleepy. Good night, sister.
- 結衣 Yuiおやすみ。ゆっくり寝てね。Oyasumi. Yukkuri nete ne.Good night. Sleep well.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう！Arigatou!Thanks!
