Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 運 | un | [ɯ̟̃ɴ] (narrow) |
| 運勢 | unsei | [ko̞ːse̞ː] (narrow) |
| 福 | fuku | [ɸɯ̟kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The term 運 translates to luck and refers to something that happens by chance. To describe being unlucky, you can say 運が悪い, which literally means 'luck is bad'. If you want to say someone has good luck, the phrase 運がいい is used. For a casual or slang way to say someone is being fortunate, you can use ツイてる. Additionally, the loanword ラッキー is borrowed directly from the English word 'lucky'.
Which one should you use?
While 運 refers to luck itself, 運勢 refers to one's fortune as a continuous trend or a specific period of time, such as one's horoscope. 福 is used when focusing on the concept of a blessing, happiness or good fortune received, rather than the concept of chance. 幸運 is used specifically to express the concept of 'good luck' or 'good fortune'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word 幸運 is a more formal and noun-heavy way to express good luck than the simple 運. For wishing someone continuous happiness and good fortune, the phrase ご多幸 is used. In casual situations, the slang ツイてる is appropriate for expressing that someone is lucky.
How do you pronounce it?
un
When do people say it?
In Japanese culture, certain symbols are believed to bring good luck, such as the cat known as 招き猫 and the crane known as 鶴. To wish someone luck or to encourage them to do their best, you can say 頑張って.
Did you know?
- In a very different context, the word 運 is the same character used in the word for 'transportation' or 'conveyance', such as in 運転 (driving).
- The slang ツイてる comes from the verb 付く, meaning 'to stick' or 'to adhere'. It describes luck as something that has physically attached itself to you.
- In Japanese tradition, 福 is associated with the 'Seven Lucky Gods', a group of deities from diverse origins including India and China.
Examples in context
- 幸運を祈るよ。Good luck!This example shows how to wish someone good luck using 運.Tatoeba #173663 by KK_kaku_, translation #429220 by Clavain
- 運も実力の内。Luck favours those who show merit.This example illustrates a saying about how luck and merit are related using 運.Tatoeba #8534746 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #8871939 by pia29
- 幸運を祈ります。I wish you the best of luck.This example demonstrates a more polite way to wish someone good luck using 運.Tatoeba #173662 by bunbuku, translation #240806 by CK
- 幸運を祈りますI pray for your good luck.
- ラッキーだねHow lucky you are!
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are talking about a recent lottery win.
- 美咲 Misaki今回の宝くじ、本当に運が良かったね。Konkai no takarakuji, hontou ni un ga yokatta ne.You were really lucky with the lottery this time.
- 健太 Kenta本当に。自分でも信じられないよ。Hontou ni. Jibun demo shinjirarenai yo.Really. I can't even believe it myself.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんの運が良くなって嬉しいわ。Kenta-san no un ga yoku natte ureshii wa.I'm happy that your luck is improving, Kenta.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう。次は美咲にいいことがあるといいな。Arigatou. Tsugi wa Misaki ni ii koto ga aru to ii na.Thanks. I hope something good happens to you next, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “luck” translations and entries 運, 運勢, 福, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
