オー
oo
The Japanese phrase オー (oo) corresponds to the English expression "o".
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is oo.
Did you know?
- Japanese has an 'unspoken' rule where オー can be used to fill a silence in a conversation to show the listener is still engaged without interrupting the speaker.
- Depending on the length and pitch, オー can shift from a cry of awe to a casual 'yes' in certain regional dialects or masculine speech patterns.
- While オー is a loanword, the native Japanese exclamation おお is used not just for surprise but often to express a deep, soulful realization or epiphany.
Examples in context
- おかねMoney
- おねがいRequest
- おもしろいInteresting
- おでかけOuting
- オー、それはいいですね。Ō, sore wa ii desu ne.Oh, that is good, isn't it?
- オー、本当ですか？Ō, hontō desu ka?Oh, really?
- オー、びっくりしました。Ō, bikkuri shimashita.Oh, I was surprised.
Example conversation
Ren shows Misaki a beautiful photo he took.
- 蓮 Renこの写真、どうかな？Kono shashin, dō kana?What do you think of this photo?
- 美咲 Misakiオー、とてもきれい！Ō, totemo kirei!Oh, it's very beautiful!
- 蓮 Renよかった、気に入ってくれて。Yokatta, ki ni itte kurete.I'm glad you like it.
- 美咲 Misakiどこで撮ったの？Doko de totta no?Where did you take it?
