How to Say ‘Good night’ in Japanese
おやすみなさい
o yasumi nasai
[oh yah-SOO-mee nah-SAI]
🇯🇵 In Japan: This is said when someone is actually heading to bed, not as a goodbye when leaving in the evening. For that, people say お疲れ様でした "thanks for your hard work" or さようなら "goodbye".
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix that makes the expression more courteous.
お名前をお願いします。
Your name, please.
やすみ
yasumi
[yah-SOO-mee]
rest; sleep
Noun from the verb yasumu (to rest); here it refers to going to bed.
今日はお休みです。
Today is a day off.
なさい
nasai
[nah-SAI]
please do (polite command)
Polite imperative form of the verb 'to do'; used in set phrases or gentle instructions.
はやく ねなさい。
Go to sleep early.
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