こんにちは
konnichiwa
The Japanese phrase for "hello formally" is こんにちは (konnichiwa).
こんにちは is a polite greeting used to say hello during the day. Unlike the English "hello", which can be used at any time, this phrase is strictly a daytime greeting and is not used in the early morning or late evening.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers use "hello" at any time of day, こんにちは is specifically used during daylight hours. For formal greetings at other times, use Ohayō gozaimasu for "Good morning" and Konbanwa for "Good evening".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the written form of こんにちは, the final syllable is written with the character は (ha) but is pronounced as わ (wa).
How do you pronounce it?
konnichiwa
Did you know?
- In historical Japanese, こんにちは was only the beginning of a longer sentence, such as 'Today is… [good]'. Over time, the entire sentence was shortened until only this greeting remained.
- In many Japanese business settings, a bow is often more important than the spoken words of the greeting to convey the correct level of respect.
- While often translated as 'hello', using こんにちは with a close friend or family member can actually feel strangely distant or overly formal.
Examples in context
- こんにちは。Konnichiwa.Hello.
- みなさん、こんにちは。Minasan, konnichiwa.Hello, everyone.
Example conversation
A student greets a teacher in the school hallway.
- 大翔 Hirotoこんにちは、先生。Konnichiwa, sensei.Hello, teacher.
- 陽葵 Himariこんにちは、大翔君。Konnichiwa, Hiroto-kun.Hello, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hiroto今日はいい天気ですね。Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne.It is nice weather today, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariそうですね。Sou desu ne.It certainly is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry こんにちは, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
