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Greetings & Expressions — All Cards
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Japanese greetings are highly context-dependent — time of day, social setting, and your relationship with the person all shape which form to use. Formal and informal registers differ significantly. Learn the situations first, then the words.
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おはよう。
Good morning.
おはよう ございます。
Good morning. (polite)
こんにちは。
Good afternoon.
こんばんは。
Good evening.
さようなら。
Good-bye.
おやすみ（なさい）。
Good night.
It's 8 AM. You greet your teacher: ＿＿＿＿ ございます。
おはよう
It's 3 PM. You meet a friend: ＿＿＿＿。
こんにちは
いってきます。
I'll go and come back. (said when leaving home)
いってらっしゃい。
Please go and come back. (response to above)
ただいま。
I'm home.
おかえり（なさい）。
Welcome home.
いただきます。
Thank you for the meal. (before eating)
ごちそうさま（でした）。
Thank you for the meal. (after eating)
You're about to eat dinner. You say: ＿＿＿＿。
いただきます
You just got home. You say: ＿＿＿＿。 Your family responds: ＿＿＿＿。
ただいま / おかえり
ありがとう。
Thank you.
ありがとう ございます。
Thank you. (polite)
すみません。
Excuse me.; I'm sorry.
いいえ。
No.; Not at all.
はじめまして。
How do you do?
〜です。
I am . . .
よろしく おねがいします。
Nice to meet you.
すみません (3 uses)
1. Excuse me (getting attention). 2. I'm sorry (apology). 3. Thank you (for trouble caused). Context determines meaning.
How do you do? I am Tanaka. Nice to meet you.
はじめまして。たなかです。よろしくおねがいします。
Bowing (おじぎ)
Bowing is the standard Japanese greeting. Deeper bows show more respect. A casual nod (15°) for friends, 30° for business, 45° for deep apologies.
Business Cards (めいし)
Exchange with both hands. Receive and read it carefully. Never write on someone's card or put it in your back pocket.