挨拶
aisatsu[a̠isa̠t͡sɨ]
The Japanese word for salutation is 挨拶 (aisatsu).
挨拶 is used broadly to mean any kind of greeting, whether it is a simple 'hello' or a formal speech of greeting.
Meaning: act of greeting (noun)
When do people say it?
In Japanese, several specific phrases are used for various greetings: Konnichiwa is a versatile phrase used as a general greeting throughout the day meaning Good day or Hello. Ohayou gozaimasu is used in the morning until around 10 am and means Good morning. Konnbanwa means Good evening and is used to greet someone after 5 pm. Sumimasen is a phrase used to apologize or get someone's attention politely. Otsukaresama desu is used as a greeting to show appreciation for someone's hard work or when saying goodbye after a long day.
Did you know?
- Japanese has a concept called 挨拶ができない used to describe someone who is socially inept or lacks manners, regardless of their ability to speak the language.
- The phrase 挨拶回り describes the custom of visiting several clients or neighbors specifically to exchange greetings and maintain social ties.
- The characters in 挨拶 originally referred to the act of looking at someone or calling someone's attention, rather than just a verbal greeting.
Examples in context
- 挨拶を交わすto exchange greetings
- 毎朝、元気に挨拶をします。Maiasa, genki ni aisatsu o shimasu.I give a cheerful greeting every morning.
- 挨拶はとても大切です。Aisatsu wa totemo taisetsu desu.Greetings are very important.
- 彼は丁寧な挨拶をしました。Kare wa teinei na aisatsu o shimashita.He gave a polite greeting.
Example conversation
Yota and Himari meet at the office entrance.
- 陽葵 Himariおはよう、陽太さん。Ohayou, Yota-san.Good morning, Yota.
- 陽太 Yotaおはよう。挨拶は大切だね。Ohayou. Aisatsu wa taisetsu da ne.Good morning. Greetings are important, aren't they?
- 陽葵 Himari本当ですね。気分が明るくなります。Hontou desu ne. Kibun ga akaruku narimasu.True. It makes you feel more cheerful.
- 陽太 Yotaさあ、仕事に行こうか。Saa, shigoto ni ikou ka.Well, shall we go to work?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 挨拶, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 挨拶, CC BY-SA 4.0.
