ご活躍をお祈り申し上げます
gokatsuyaku o oinori moushiagemasu
In Japanese, "I wish you the best" is expressed as ご活躍をお祈り申し上げます (gokatsuyaku o oinori moushiagemasu).
This phrase is a formal way to wish someone success and prosperity in their future endeavors. It is commonly used when someone is retiring, leaving a company or moving on to a new stage in their career. While the English phrase "I wish you the best" can cover many personal areas like health or happiness, this specific Japanese expression focuses on professional success and the person's active engagement in their field.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of go-katsuyaku (honorific active success or brilliance), o (the object marker), oinori (prayer) and moushiagemasu (the humble form of "to say" or "to do"). Literally, it means "I pray for your active success."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ご活躍をお祈り申し上げます is highly formal. It is typically used in written correspondence, such as business emails or formal letters, rather than in casual conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
gokatsuyaku o oinori moushiagemasu
Did you know?
- The word お祈り (oinori) means 'prayer', which might feel overly religious to an English speaker. However, in Japanese business etiquette, it is a standard, secular way to express a sincere, deep-seated wish for someone's well-being.
- Because the phrase uses the humble verb 申し上げます (moushiagemasu), the speaker is literally lowering their own status to elevate the recipient. This creates a linguistic hierarchy that defines the formal respect being shown.
- While ご活躍をお祈り申し上げます is used for professional success, wishing someone 'good luck' in a personal or risky endeavor is often avoided using the word koun (luck) because it can imply the person lacks the skill to succeed on their own.
Examples in context
- 社長、ご多幸をお祈りいたします。Boss, I wish you the best.
- 皆様のご活躍をお祈り申し上げます。Minasama no gokatsuyaku o oinori moushiagemasu.I wish you all much success.
- 新天地でのご活躍をお祈り申し上げます。Shintentchi de no gokatsuyaku o oinori moushiagemasu.I wish you the best in your new environment.
- 今後のさらなるご活躍をお祈り申し上げます。Kongo no saranaru gokatsuyaku o oinori moushiagemasu.I wish you even greater success in the future.
Example conversation
At a formal farewell party for a colleague.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さんの今後のご活躍をお祈り申し上げます。Ren-san no kongo no gokatsuyaku o oinori moushiagemasu.I wish you much success in the future, Ren.
- 蓮 Ren結衣さん、温かいお言葉をありがとうございます。Yui-san, atatakai okotoba o arigatou gozaimasu.Yui, thank you for your kind words.
- 結衣 Yui新しい仕事、頑張ってくださいね。Atarashii shigoto, ganbatte kudasai ne.Please do your best in your new job.
- 蓮 Renはい、精一杯努めます。Hai, seiippai tsutomemasu.Yes, I will give it my all.
