This article is
People who want to know basic Japanese greetings
People who want to know when to use that greeting
That’s what this article is about.
Continued from the previous issue, I will define this part’s greeting 1.
Part 1 ends here.
In this article, I will write about the most basic greeting, Oyasumi nasai.
Index
Good Night- おやすみ”Oyasumi” / おやすみなさい”Oyasumi nasai”
When to use: When you sleep, you tell other people at night.
Explanation:
Casual: おやすみ “Oyasumi”
Polite: おやすみなさい “Oyasumi nasai”
As a side note, “なさい” is originally an imperative, but due to certain circumstances that I will write about later, this usage is said to be polite.
e.g., Go there-あそこにいきなさい”Asoko ni iki nasai”
Question and Answer
Q: Why does Goodnight have two Expressions?
A: Common theory,
・Good night
This word was created by abbreviating the phrase used by old innkeepers to tell their guests, “Please have a good night’s sleep.”
In other words, this expression is not a simple greeting, but a greeting that expresses the wish for the other person’s sleep and rest.
Because of this background, Japanese people have the understanding that this occasion “なさい” is a polite expression.
Foreigners’ Reactions Based on Actual Experience
I think you can learn more about Japanese greetings from what I experienced before and from the experiences I heard from friends.
“Japanese say ‘good Night’ even when They’re not Sleeping?”
My French friend Claire stayed at a Japanese friend’s house for the first time.
Around 10 PM, everyone said,
Oyasumi nasai
Oyasumi nasai
And went to their rooms.
Claire assumed they were going straight to sleep.
But 30 minutes later, she saw her friend watching anime in the living room!
She asked,
Didn’t you say good night?
He replied,
Yeah, we say it when we’re done for the day, even if we stay up a bit.
Claire laughed.
That’s like saying “goodbye for today” more than “sleep well”, right?
Exactly.
He smiled.
“Oyasumi” is not literally a word for going to bed immediately, but it is also a greeting at the end of the day.
Conclusion
Today’s topic is the most basic conversation, oyasumi.
Of course, it can mean both “go to bed soon” and “good job for the day”.
In this case, the most basic greetings, such as “Oyasumi” were explained.
This concludes the most basic greeting.
In the greetings part, I will summarize the greetings before and after meals and business greetings next.
Please look forward to it.
Links to each part are provided.
Cultural Differences, Good morning, Hello, Good evening,
P.S.
Thank you for reading part 1 as the most basic greeting for a long time.
Since the greeting as Japanese has continued, it may be good to write another genre.
For example, when and where to go for sightseeing in the country of Japan, or why the Kinkakuji temple is gold and the Ginkakuji temple is not silver as a historical aspect, etc.
There is also a reason why my icon is a tiger, which I am going to explain again, and it is because I was born in the year of the tiger in the concept of the Chinese zodiac.
Let me give you some direction.
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またね(Matane)!
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