How to Say ‘Hello.’ in Japanese
こんにちは。
konnichiwa
[kohn-nee-chee-wah]
💬 Usage Tip: A safe, all-purpose greeting. It literally comes from a longer phrase meaning “as for today…”. Often said with a small bow.
🇯🇵 In Japan: At a fast-food counter, staff usually greet you first with [いらっしゃいませ], so you can skip [こんにちは] and go straight to ordering.
Phrase Breakdown
こんにちは
konnichiwa
[kohn-nee-chee-wah]
Hello / Good afternoon
A standard polite greeting, often used from late morning through afternoon (less common late at night).
こんにちは、ご注文は？
Hello, what would you like to order?
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