お大事に
odaiji ni[o̞da̠iʑi ɲ̟i]
The English phrase 'stay healthy' can be translated into Japanese as お大事に (odaiji ni).
お大事に is a phrase used to wish someone a speedy recovery when they are sick or injured. It is specifically used in contexts where someone is ill, injured or in a hospital setting. It is not used for general 'stay healthy' wishes such as telling someone to 'stay fit'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For very formal writing or speech, you might use ご健康をお祈りします。 (I pray for your health), ご健勝をお祈りいたします。 (I pray for your good health) or ご健康にお気をつけてください。 (Please take care of your health). In contrast, informal settings allow for phrases like お元気でね。 (Take care/have a good health), 体に気をつけてね。 (Take care of yourself) or 元気でいてね。 (Stay well/be in good health).
How do you pronounce it?
odaiji ni
When do people say it?
When someone says お大事に to you, the standard response is ありがとうございます (thank you).
Did you know?
- If you use お大事に toward someone who is perfectly healthy, it can imply you think they look sickly or unwell.
- The formal version ご健勝をお祈りいたします is frequently used in business letters and New Year's cards. In these written contexts, 'health' is treated as a state of 'victory' or 'success' over illness.
- The word 大事 (daiji) in お大事に literally translates to 'important matter' or 'big thing', rather than 'health'.
Examples in context
- お大事に。O daiji ni.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.
- 早く良くなってね。お大事に。Hayaku yoku natte ne. O daiji ni.Get well soon. Take care.
Example conversation
At a cafe, Himari notices Hiroto looking unwell.
- 陽葵 Himari顔色が悪いですよ。Kaoiro ga warui desu yo.You look pale.
- 大翔 Hiroto少し熱があるみたいです。Sukoshi netsu ga aru mitai desu.It seems I have a slight fever.
- 陽葵 Himari無理しないで。お大事に。Muri shinaide. O daiji ni.Don't overdo it. Please take care.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お大事に, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries お大事に, CC BY-SA 4.0.
