よい旅を
yoi tabi o
In Japanese, "have a safe journey" is expressed as よい旅を (yoi tabi o).
よい旅を is used to wish someone a pleasant and secure trip when they are departing. It is most natural when someone is embarking on a long-distance trip, such as a vacation or a journey to another city, rather than just a daily commute.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal fragment meaning "a good journey" followed by the object marker particle. The verb "have" or "wish" is omitted.
Which one should you use?
While よい旅を focuses on the quality of the journey, the phrase 行ってらっしゃい is the standard phrase used when someone is leaving the house or a place of work.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
よい旅を is relatively casual and is best used with friends or acquaintances rather than in highly formal business settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle を at the end implies an elliptical structure where the verb 'have' or 'wish' is understood from context.
How do you pronounce it?
yoi tabi o
Did you know?
- Japanese has a specific concept called 旅情 (rijō), which describes the unique, often bittersweet emotional state or 'travel nostalgia' one feels while on a journey.
- When wishing someone well, Japanese speakers often avoid using any words that explicitly mention 'danger' or 'accidents', as naming a negative event is believed to accidentally invite it to happen.
- While 'have a safe journey' is a common English sentiment, using よい旅を in Japan can sound almost cinematic or like a line from a novel, as it is rarely used in daily life.
Examples in context
- どうぞ、よい旅を。Douzo, yoi tabi o.Please, have a pleasant trip.
- みんな、よい旅を！Minna, yoi tabi o!Everyone, have a safe journey!
Example conversation
At the airport, a man is seeing his friend off.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲さん、気をつけてね。Misaki-san, ki o tsukete ne.Misaki, please take care.
- 美咲 Misakiうん、行ってくるね。Un, itte kuru ne.Yeah, I'm heading off.
- 大翔 Hirotoよい旅を！Yoi tabi o!Have a safe journey!
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう、大翔さん。Arigatou, Hiroto-san.Thank you, Hiroto.
