Ohayo is a Japanese greeting that means “good morning.” It’s used as a friendly and informal way to say hello to someone in the morning hours. Ohayo is pronounced “oh-hah-yoh” and is often accompanied by a small bow or nod of the head.
The Origins and Meaning of Ohayo
The word ohayo comes from the Japanese ohayō gozaimasu, a more polite version of the phrase. Ohayō is an abbreviated, casual form of this greeting. Gozaimasu is an honorific expression, so ohayō gozaimasu literally means something like “it is early” and conveys a sense of respect.
In Japanese, the word ohayo is written using the hiragana characters おはよう. It’s made up of:
- お = o = honorific prefix
- は = ha = means “early” or “beginning”
- よ = yo = indicates emphasis
So the term ohayo literally translates to something like “early!” or “it’s early!” It’s implying that it’s early in the day and you’re greeting someone first thing in the morning.
The word ohayo dates back to the Meiji period in Japan, which spanned from 1868 to 1912. During this time, the Japanese government emphasized modernization and adopting some Western customs. This included using more casual, abbreviated greetings like ohayo rather than longer, more formal phrases.
When to Use Ohayo
Ohayo is primarily used as a morning greeting from around sunrise until 10 or 11am. After that, it’s more common to say konnichiwa, the typical Japanese greeting that can be used at any time of day. Here are some examples of when you’d use ohayo:
- Greeting your family members when you wake up and come to the breakfast table
- Saying hello to coworkers when you arrive at the office in the morning
- Greeting the staff when you enter a store or restaurant early in the day
- Acknowledging friends and neighbors if you run into them out in the morning hours
You wouldn’t use ohayo in the afternoon or evening, since the meaning implies “early morning.” For times later in the day, phrases like konnichiwa or konbanwa (good evening) would be more suitable.
Responding to Ohayo
The most common responses to ohayo are:
- Ohayo – Returning the simple ohayo greeting.
- Ohayo gozaimasu – A more polite/formal version.
- Genki desu ka? – Means “Are you well?” or “Are you full of energy?”
Some other friendly replies include:
- Hai, genki desu – Yes, I’m great!
- Ohayo, ohisashiburi desu ne – Good morning, it’s been a while!
- Ohayo, gokurousan – Good morning, thanks for your hard work.
Responding with a simple ohayo or acknowledging the greeting is perfectly fine. Adding a bit more builds rapport and friendliness.
Ohayo vs. Other Greetings
Here’s how ohayo compares to some other common Japanese greetings:
| Term | Meaning | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Ohayo | Good morning | Early morning, sunrise to 11am |
| Konnichiwa | Hello | Anytime during daylight hours |
| Konbanwa | Good evening | Evening, around sunset onwards |
| Oyasuminasai | Good night | Night time, before going to sleep |
Ohayo is the most informal and casual of these greetings. It’s only used in the morning hours and conveys a bright, upbeat mood.
Ohayo in Pop Culture
You’ll often hear ohayo used in Japanese pop culture like anime, manga, and TV shows, particularly those set in school environments. For example:
- In the anime School Rumble, classmates greet each other with cheerful ohayos in the mornings.
- The manga series Yotsuba&! features the energetic character Yotsuba Koiwai frequently shouting ohayo to everyone she encounters in the morning.
- In the TV show Terrace House, housemates use ohayo when greeting each other over breakfast.
Hearing ohayo pop up in these contexts helps reinforce it as a cheerful and energetic morning greeting in Japanese.
Ohayo Gozaimasu vs. Ohayo
As mentioned earlier, ohayo is a casual, abbreviated version of ohayo gozaimasu. Here’s the difference:
- Ohayo gozaimasu – Polite, formal morning greeting. Gozaimasu makes it more respectful.
- Ohayo – Casual, informal morning greeting. Omits the gozaimasu portion.
Some key points about the two terms:
- Ohayo gozaimasu is used when speaking politely to teachers, elders, superiors at work, etc.
- Ohayo is fine when speaking casually to friends, family, children, and social equals.
- Younger speakers often just say ohayo, even in polite contexts.
- Older Japanese speakers may expect ohayo gozaimasu as the proper polite greeting.
So the level of politeness depends on who you’re greeting. Use your judgment for whether a simple ohayo or formal ohayo gozaimasu would be more suitable.
How to Pronounce Ohayo
Ohayo is pronounced with three syllables:
- O – long “o” sound
- Ha – similar to English “ha” but shorter
- Yo – long “o” sound
Put together, it’s pronounced:
oh-HAH-yoh
The tone goes up slightly on the “HAH” syllable to give it a bright, cheerful sound. Don’t emphasize any one syllable.
Listen to native Japanese speakers say it to get the pronunciation just right. With practice, you’ll be able to say ohayo naturally and add a cheerful morning greeting to your Japanese vocabulary!
Conclusion
In summary, ohayo is an essential Japanese greeting that conveys a bright, happy energy perfect for the morning hours. This casual phrase means “good morning” and can be used from sunrise until about 11am when greeting family, friends, coworkers, and others. Respond simply with ohayo or elevate the politeness with ohayo gozaimasu. Listen to native pronunciations to get the oh-HAH-yoh tone just right. With its succinct positivty and informality, ohayo is sure to make your mornings shine!