お大事に
odaiji ni[o̞da̠iʑi ɲ̟i]
In Japanese, the phrase "I hope you feel better" is expressed as お大事に (odaiji ni).
お大事に is used to wish someone a quick recovery when they are sick or injured, translating to "take care" or "get well soon."
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a shortened version of o-daiji ni nasatte kudasai. The word daiji means "important" or "precious," so the phrase literally suggests to "take care of your important [thing/body]".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お大事に is a polite and standard way to express this sentiment to others.
How do you pronounce it?
odaiji ni
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using お大事に as a response to someone saying "thank you" for a gift or a service. This phrase is strictly reserved for matters of health and well-being.
Did you know?
- While お大事に is the standard wish for recovery, a person who is sick should not say it back to the healthy person as a polite return greeting.
- The word 大事 can also mean 'a serious incident' or 'a big deal' in other contexts, which creates a linguistic contrast with its use in this gentle phrase.
- If you use お大事に to a person who is not physically ill, such as someone who is merely busy or stressed, it may sound like you are accusing them of being sick. It is specifically a medical or health-related sentiment.
Examples in context
- ご体調をお崩されましたことをお察しいたします。早く回復されますようお祈りしております。We sympathize that you are feeling under the weather. We pray for your swift recovery.
- お大事になさってください。心からお見舞い申し上げます。早く元気になられることをお祈りいたします。Please take care and accept our heartfelt wishes for your recovery.
- お大事にね。すぐに元気になってほしいな！Take care. I hope you feel better soon!
- 早くよくなってねGet well soon or recover quickly
- 体調がすぐに良くなることを祈っているよ。早くよくなってね！I'm praying for your quick recovery. Get well soon!
- お大事にね。体調管理に気をつけて、早く良くなってほしいな！Take care. Take care of your health and recover quickly!
- お大事に。O daiji ni.I hope you feel better.
- 風邪ですか？お大事に。Kaze desu ka? O daiji ni.Is it a cold? Take care of yourself.
Example conversation
Kenta is leaving work and sees Himari looking unwell.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵さん、顔色が悪いですよ。Himari-san, kaoiro ga warui desu yo.Himari, you look pale.
- 陽葵 Himari少し熱があるみたいです。Sukoshi netsu ga aru mitai desu.I think I have a bit of a fever.
- 健太 Kenta無理をしないで、お大事に。Muri o shinai de, o daiji ni.Don't overdo it, and I hope you feel better.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お大事に, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
