よっ
yo
The English phrase "hi dude" can be translated into Japanese as よっ (yo).
よっ is an informal greeting used between friends or peers. It is typically used by males in casual settings. Other ways to express informal greetings include やほー, which is a casual way to say "hey" and the slang term おっす used among friends to say "hi".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
よっ is highly informal and should only be used with close friends or people of equal or lower social status.
How do you pronounce it?
yo
Did you know?
- While よっ is a general informal greeting, the similar term おっす likely evolved from 押忍, a term used in traditional martial arts to signify patience and perseverance.
- Using a casual greeting like よっ while maintaining formal posture can create a 'gap' known as gyappu, which some find charming or ironically funny in modern Japanese social dynamics.
- While よっ is a common greeting, it is often accompanied by a small, sharp upward nod of the head to signal recognition to a friend.
Examples in context
- よっ！元気？Yo! Genki?Hi dude! How are you?
- よっ、久しぶり！Yo, hisashiburi!Hi! Long time no see.
- よっ、調子はどう？Yo, choushi wa dou?Hi dude, how's it going?
Example conversation
Ren is walking toward Yui in a park.
- 結衣 Yuiよっ、蓮！Yo, Ren!Hi, Ren!
- 蓮 Renよっ、結衣。元気だった？Yo, Yui. Genki datta?Hi, Yui. Have you been well?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、元気だよ。Un, genki da yo.Yeah, I'm good.
- 蓮 Renそれはよかった。Sore wa yokatta.That's good to hear.
