おす
osu[o̞sɨ]
osu is a Japanese masculine greeting.
osu is used as a highly informal greeting or acknowledgment, primarily among practitioners of martial arts.
What does it mean word for word?
While often written in hiragana, the term is frequently written with the kanji 押忍, which combines the characters for 'press/push' and 'endure', representing the concept to 'press and endure'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
おす is an informal greeting. In a standard business or polite social setting, using this phrase would be considered highly inappropriate and rude. A common abbreviated form, おっす, is also used as a casual greeting mainly among males or within gaming communities.
How do you pronounce it?
osu
When do people say it?
The term is a staple of karate culture, used both as a greeting and as a way to signal respect or agreement to a sensei (teacher).
Did you know?
- The kanji 忍 in 押忍 is the same character used for shinobi, the root word for 'ninja', emphasizing the element of silent endurance.
- In some traditional karate dojos, students must say osu in a sharp, guttural tone that originates from the diaphragm rather than the throat to demonstrate spirit and energy.
- While osu is a greeting, it is also used as a multipurpose response to replace 'yes', 'I understand' and 'I am sorry' during intense training sessions.
Examples in context
- おす！osu!Osu!
- おす、お願いします。osu, onegaishimasu.Osu, please (let's practice).
- おす！今日も頑張ります。osu! kyou mo ganbarimasu.Osu! I will do my best today too.
Example conversation
A karate dojo before practice begins.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔くん、こんにちは。Hiroto-kun, konnichiwa.Hello, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hirotoおす！陽葵さん。Osu! Himari-san.Hey, Himari!
- 陽葵 Himari今日も練習頑張ってね。Kyou mo renshuu ganbatte ne.Good luck with your practice today.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとう！Arigatou!Thanks!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry おす, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
