今日は
konnichi wa[kõ̞ɲ̟ːit͡ɕiβ̞a̠]
The English phrase 'hello' can be translated into Japanese as 今日は (konnichi wa). Wiktionary also lists 今晩は (konban wa).
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 今日は | konnichi wa | [kõ̞ɲ̟ːit͡ɕiβ̞a̠] (narrow) |
| 今晩は | konban wa | [kõ̞mbã̠ɰ̃β̞a̠] (narrow) |
The greeting 今日は is a versatile expression used from late morning until early evening, translating to 'hello' or 'good day'.
Which one should you use?
While 今日は is used during the day, 今晩は is used specifically in the evening to mean 'Good evening'.
How do you pronounce it?
konnichi wa
Did you know?
- While the word for 'today' is usually pronounced kyō, in the greeting 今日は it changes to konnichi. This pronunciation is preserved specifically for the act of greeting.
- In many Japanese contexts, a simple nod or a slight bow is often more important than the spoken words when using a greeting like 今日は.
- The phrase 今日は is actually an incomplete sentence that originally functioned as a way to start a conversation about the weather or the listener's well-being.
Examples in context
- 今日は。Hello!Tatoeba #778577 by marloncori, translation #373330 by CK
Example conversation
Hime and Ren meet on a sidewalk.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さん、今日は。Ren-san, konnichiwa.Hello, Ren.
- 蓮 Renあ、陽葵さん。今日は。A, Hime-san. Konnichiwa.Oh, Hime. Hello.
- 陽葵 Himariどこへ行くのですか。Doko e iku no desu ka.Where are you going?
- 蓮 Ren図書館へ行きます。Toshokan e ikimasu.I am going to the library.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries 今日は, 今晩は, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 今日は, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
