ハッピーホリデーズ
happī horidēzu
happy holidays in Japanese can be expressed as ハッピーホリデーズ (happī horidēzu) or 楽しい休日.
Meaning: holiday greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ハッピーホリデーズ | happī horidēzu |
| 楽しい休日 | tanoshī kyūjitsu |
The katakana loanword ハッピーホリデーズ is used primarily in Western-style contexts, such as Christmas or New Year's celebrations in commercial or international settings.
Which one should you use?
ハッピーホリデーズ is a loanword used for Western-style holiday celebrations.
How do you pronounce it?
happī horidēzu
When do people say it?
In Japan, because the holiday season is heavily centered on Christmas, people are much more likely to say メリークリスマス than a general 'happy holidays' phrase.
Did you know?
- In Japan, 'holidays' during the winter are often associated with 正月 (shōgatsu), which involves visiting a shrine for the first time in the year, known as 初詣 (hatsumōde).
- Instead of a generic 'happy holidays', Japanese people may use 良いお年を (yoi otoshi o) to wish someone a 'good year' as the current year ends.
- If you use the phrase 楽しい休日 (tanoshii kyuujitsu) to wish someone a happy holiday, it might sound like you are wishing them a pleasant 'day off' from work rather than celebrating a festive season.
Example sentences for Japanese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are saying goodbye before the winter break.
- 美咲 Misaki健太くん、もう帰るの？Kenta-kun, mō kaeru no?Kenta, are you leaving already?
- 健太 Kentaうん、そろそろ行くね。un, sorosoro iku ne.Yeah, I'm heading out now.
- 美咲 Misakiそれじゃあ、ハッピーホリデーズ！sorejaa, happī horidēzu!Well then, happy holidays!
- 健太 Kentaありがとう！美咲さんもね。arigatō! Misaki-san mo ne.Thanks! You too, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy holidays” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
