こんにちは、そしてさようなら
Konnichiwa, soshite sayounara
The English phrase "hello and bye" is expressed in Japanese as こんにちは、そしてさようなら (Konnichiwa, soshite sayounara).
This phrase combines a standard daytime greeting and a farewell. It is used when one wishes to express both a greeting upon arrival and a goodbye upon leaving. While こんにちは (konnichiwa) is a standard daytime greeting, さようなら (sayounara) is a way to say goodbye that often implies a longer period of separation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of two parts: こんにちは, which literally means "today is" or "as for today" but functions as "hello" and さようなら, which means "goodbye".
How do you pronounce it?
Konnichiwa, soshite sayounara
Did you know?
- If you use さようなら (sayounara) in a classroom setting, it is the standard way to end a lesson, but using it with a close friend might actually signal an argument or a breakup.
- The phrase さようなら evolved from a longer expression meaning 'if it be thus', which was used to acknowledge the necessity of parting ways.
- The word こんにちは ends with the character は, which is pronounced 'wa' instead of 'ha' because it functions as a topic marker in a sentence.
Example conversation
Misaki is reading a poem to Hiroto.
- 美咲 Misakiこの詩のタイトルは「こんにちは、そしてさようなら」です。Kono shi no taitoru wa "Konnichiwa, soshite sayounara" desu.The title of this poem is "Hello and Goodbye".
- 大翔 Hirotoそれはとても悲しいタイトルですね。Sore wa totemo kanashii taitoru desu ne.That is a very sad title.
- 美咲 Misakiええ、出会いと別れについて書いてあります。Ee, deai to wakare ni tsuite kaite arimasu.Yes, it is written about meeting and parting.
- 大翔 Hirotoぜひ読んでみたいです。Zehi yonde mitai desu.I would definitely like to read it.
