はい
haipolite, standard
In hiragana "yes" is written はい (hai). It is made of two characters, は (ha) and い (i). Friends often say うん (un) instead. It is also called ええ (ē).
Meaning: affirmative answer (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| はい | hai | polite, standard |
| うん | un | casual |
| ええ | ē | polite, softer |
はい (hai) is the safe answer to anyone, from a teacher to a stranger. ええ (ē) is a little softer and うん (un) is only for people you know well.
How do you pronounce it?
The first character is normally read ha, but here it is read hai as one short word, with は (ha) and い (i) flowing together.
When do people say it?
はい (hai) can mean "I am listening" as well as "I agree", so a Japanese speaker may say it without fully agreeing.
Did you know?
- The kanji for はい is 是 in some formal uses, but everyday writing uses hiragana only.
Examples in context
- はい、そうです。Hai, sō desu.Yes, that is right.
- うん、わかった。Un, wakatta.Yeah, got it.
- ええ、いいですよ。Ē, ii desu yo.Yes, that is fine.
Example conversation
Mika asks her classmate Ken about homework in Tokyo.
- Mika宿題、できた？Shukudai, dekita?Did you finish the homework?
- Kenうん、できたよ。Un, dekita yo.Yes, I did.
- Mikaはい、ありがとう。Hai, arigatō.Okay, thanks.
