What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a shortened version of odaiji ni nasatte kudasai, where daiji means important or precious. Literally, it translates to "take care of (your) important thing."
Which one should you use?
While お大事に serves as a general way to say "take care (of yourself)" in a medical context, other variations exist depending on the level of closeness and politeness. For example, 早く良くなってね is used specifically to mean "recover quickly."
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make the phrase a more complete and polite request by adding shite kudasai to the end, resulting in お大事にしてください.
How do you pronounce it?
odaiji ni
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using お大事に for someone who is healthy but simply leaving a social gathering. In those situations, ki o tsukete (take care/be careful) is more appropriate.
Did you know?
- If you receive the wish お大事に from a doctor, you should not reply with the same phrase, but instead respond with a thank you.
- The word 大事 inside the phrase has a double meaning, referring to something 'precious' in a health context but meaning 'a serious incident' in others.
- If you say お大事に to a healthy person who is just leaving your house, it can sound like you are implying they are secretly ill or injured.
Examples in context
- 風邪ですか？お大事に。Kaze desu ka? O daiji ni.Do you have a cold? Please take care of yourself.
- お大事にしてくださいね。O daiji ni shite kudasai ne.Please take good care of yourself.
Example conversation
Misaki is saying goodbye to Kenta, who has a cold.
- 健太 Kenta今日は早めに帰ります。Kyō wa hayame ni kaerimasu.I'm going home early today.
- 美咲 Misaki無理しないでゆっくり休んでね。Muri shinai de yukkuri yasunde ne.Don't overdo it and get some good rest.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう、そうするよ。Arigatō, sō suru yo.Thanks, I will.
- 美咲 Misakiお大事に！O-daiji ni!Please get well soon!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お大事に, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
