よっ
yo
The Japanese phrase for "yo" is よっ.
よっ is a greeting used when approaching someone you already know well. It is not intended to be used as a formal greeting toward a stranger.
Meaning: greeting similar to hi (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
よっ is a very casual, masculine-coded greeting used among close friends. Other informal greetings include やあ, which is used among friends or people of the same age group, おっす, a friendly and relaxed way to say "yo" commonly used by peers and younger generations and やほ, which is used by younger individuals to provide a playful and enthusiastic touch.
How do you pronounce it?
yo
Did you know?
- In certain Japanese martial arts, a very similar sounding call is used to signal the start of a movement or to show spirit. While not identical to the casual よっ, the percussive nature of the sound is shared between the two contexts.
- While English speakers use 'yo' as a way to sound 'cool', in Japanese, using よっ can actually make a person sound older or more old-fashioned if used in a specific, heavy tone. It is a delicate balance of sounding casual without sounding dated.
- While よっ is masculine-coded, some women use it in very specific subcultures or when adopting a 'tomboy' persona to signal a relaxed attitude.
Examples in context
- よっ、元気？Yo, genki?Yo, how are you?
- よっ、お疲れ！Yo, otsukare!Yo, good job today!
- よっ、久しぶり！Yo, hisashiburi!Yo, long time no see!
Example conversation
Kenta sees Himari walking down the street.
- 健太 Kentaよっ、陽葵！Yo, Himari!Yo, Himari!
- 陽葵 Himariあ、健太。久しぶり！A, Kenta. Hisashiburi!Oh, Kenta. Long time no see!
- 健太 Kenta元気だった？Genki datta?Have you been doing well?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、元気だよ。Un, genki dayo.Yeah, I'm doing well.
