今日は

Japanese

Japanese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Kanji in this term
今	日
こん Grade: 2	にち Grade: 1
goon

Etymology

From 今(こん)日(にち) (konnichi, “this day, today”) + は (wa, topic particle); shortened from expressions like the following:

今(こん)日(にち)は御(ご)機(き)嫌(げん)いかがですか
konnichi wa go-kigen ikaga desu ka
How are you doing today?
今(こん)日(にち)は良(よ)い天(てん)気(き)ですね
konnichi wa yoi tenki desu ne
It's fine weather today, isn't it?

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) こんにちは [kòńníchí wáꜜ] (Odaka – [5])^[1]
IPA^(key): [kõ̞ɲ̟ːit͡ɕi β̞a̠]
Audio: (file)

Interjection

今(こん)日(にち)は • (konnichiwa)

good day, good afternoon: a Japanese greeting used in the daytime

Usage notes

Usually written こんにちは (konnichiwa).

Coordinate terms

おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu): good morning
今(こん)晩(ばん)は (konbanwa): good evening
お休(やす)みなさい (oyasumi nasai): good night (said when parting company)

Descendants

→ English: konnichiwa, konnichi wa

References

^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.