What does it mean word for word?
The word daiji means "important" or "precious," so the phrase literally implies treating one's condition as something precious or important.
Which one should you use?
Do not confuse お大事に, which is used for illness, with ki o tsukete, which is used for general safety or when someone is traveling.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お大事に is a polite and standard expression. It is most commonly used by people in service positions, such as doctors or shop staff or by someone showing concern to a sick colleague or patient. For a more formal, complete imperative sentence, you can use お大事にしてください. If you are speaking informally, you can use Genki de ite ne! to say "Please stay healthy."
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase a more complete and formal imperative sentence, you can add shite kudasai to the end, resulting in お大事にしてください.
How do you pronounce it?
odaiji ni
When do people say it?
When someone says お大事に to you because you are unwell, the standard response is to say ありがとうございます (thank you). You may also hear the informal phrase あんたもげんきでいてね！ to mean "You should stay healthy too!"
Did you know?
- The word 大事 ('daiji') is also used in Japanese to describe a 'major incident' or a 'big deal' in a negative sense, such as a scandal or a disaster.
- In a clinical setting, お大事に functions as a formal signal that the medical consultation has ended and the patient is being dismissed.
- If a friend tells you あんたもげんきでいてね！ in response to your well-wishes, they are using a very casual form of 'you' that can be too blunt for strangers.
Examples in context
- お大事にしてください。Please take care of yourself.
- 風邪ですか？お大事に。Kaze desu ka? O daiji ni.Do you have a cold? Please take care.
Example conversation
Yui visits Kenta at his house because he is feeling unwell.
- 結衣 Yui健太さん、大丈夫ですか？Kenta-san, daijoubu desu ka?Kenta, are you okay?
- 健太 Kenta少し熱があります。Sukoshi netsu ga arimasu.I have a slight fever.
- 結衣 Yui無理しないで、お大事に。Muri shinai de, o daiji ni.Don't overdo it, please take care.
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お大事に, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
