Good Night in Japanese: The Complete Guide

Good Night in Japanese: The Complete Guide

Learn how to wish someone a good night in Japanese with this comprehensive guide. From cultural tips to language phrases, gain the knowledge you need for polite conversation!

Article

Wishing someone a good night in Japanese is much more than just saying “good night”. It’s a way to show respect and express your care for the other person. With this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn cultural tips and language phrases to show your appreciation in a polite conversation.

Understand the culture surrounding goodnight phrases in Japanese.

Japanese culture places a heavy emphasis on politeness and respect during the conversation.

When wishing someone goodnight, it’s important to be aware of the subtle nuances in the language so that you can express your feelings in an appropriate way. Doing so can make all the difference in ensuring a positive end to the conversation!

Learn how to say the phrase “good night” in Japanese.

In Japanese, the phrase for “good night” is Oyasuminasai (おやすみなさい) which literally translates to “rest well”. Depending on the context of the conversation, you may also wish to use the more casual Sayonara (さようなら).

As with many other cultural nuances in the Japanese language, there are subtle variations on how this phrase can be expressed and received depending on both your relationship and the situation.

Discover different ways to say “good night” at various times of the day.

Depending on the time of day you are wishing someone “good night”, there are different phrases you can use. For example, when saying farewell in the evening or late at night, using Oyasuminasai (おやすみなさい) is appropriate.

During the morning, Kanjō (神状) is a better choice and translates to “go with God”. Finally, for afternoons or early evenings, Oyasumi (お休み) is great for saying goodbye happily and easily.

Say goodbye politely with good wishes for a restful sleep or a good morning tomorrow.

When saying good night to someone, be sure to include protective and well-intentioned words to ensure they have a restful sleep.

Some phrases you can use are Oyasumi Nasai (お休みなさい) which translates to “good night”; Nyantō o-inori shimasu (ニャントーお祈りします) meaning, “may your wishes come true”; or Shirubā no yō ni moeru yumeo tsunaide kudasai (シルバーのように燃える夢を繋いでください) which means, “link of silver dreams burning”.

Additionally, you can use simpler terms like Oyasumi nasai for an informal goodnight greeting.

Find common slang phrases you can use as an alternative to formal grammatical language conventions.

When conversing in Japanese with friends, there are slang expressions you can use as alternatives to formal language.

Terms like Oyasumi (お休み) which is really just an abbreviation of Oyasumi nasai and carry the same meaning.

Additionally, you can say Ban ban (ばんばん) which is a way of expressing “good night” casually and for close friends, you can use Ohayoogozaimassu (おはようございまっす), meaning “see you tomorrow”.