メリークリスマス
merī Kurisumasu[me̞ɾʲiː kɯ̟ɾʲisɨma̠sɨ]
To say "merry xmas" in Japanese, use メリークリスマス (merī Kurisumasu).
The phrase メリークリスマス is used as a greeting to wish someone a happy Christmas during the Christmas season.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the bare phrase メリークリスマス is the most common way to offer the greeting, you can also make it a complete sentence by adding the particle です to create メリークリスマスです. It is also common to add an exclamation mark to the end.
How do you pronounce it?
merī Kurisumasu
When do people say it?
In Japan, this phrase is used as a seasonal greeting even though Christmas is not a public holiday in the country.
Did you know?
- While メリークリスマス is a greeting, the holiday is often associated with eating ケンタッキー (KFC) fried chicken, a tradition sparked by a successful 1974 marketing campaign.
- While many Western cultures celebrate Christmas as a family holiday, in Japan, the phrase is often associated with romantic dates and 'Christmas Eve' celebrations for couples.
- The phrase メリークリスマス is often accompanied by the consumption of 'Christmas Cake', a specific type of strawberry shortcake that has become a national tradition.
Examples in context
- 田中さん、メリークリスマスです。Tanaka, Merry Christmas.
- たけし、メリークリスマス！Takeshi, Merry Christmas!
- おっ、こっちこそメリークリスマス！Oh, Merry Christmas to you too!
- メリークリスマス！merī kurisumasu!Merry Christmas!
- みんな、メリークリスマス。minna, merī kurisumasu.Merry Christmas, everyone.
Example conversation
Haruto and Yui are meeting at a Christmas party.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、メリークリスマス！Yui, merī kurisumasu!Merry Christmas, Yui!
- 結衣 Yui大翔くん、メリークリスマス！Hiroto-kun, merī kurisumasu!Merry Christmas, Haruto!
- 大翔 Hiroto今日は楽しもうね。Kyō wa tanoshimō ne.Let's have fun today.
- 結衣 Yuiうん、そうだね。Un, sō da ne.Yeah, that's true.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry メリークリスマス, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
