How to say happy new year in japanese

How to say happy new year in japanese
How to say happy new year in japanese

The last days of the year are passing to welcome a new year full of surprises, challenges, and changes. To everyone, this is the time to prepare gifts and wishing cards for your beloved ones, your relatives, your friends, your colleagues. To new Japanese learners or those who have just started their new life in the country of cherry blossoms, everything must be foreign to them. People are talking eagerly about Japanese New Year phrases on various forums. In order to accommodate your interests in this topic, Learn Japanese Daily will introduce you How to say happy new year in Japanese  that Japanese people frequently use on the occasion of New Year. Hopefully, this article will somehow be helpful and help you improve on your vocabulary.

Before the year ends – How to say happy new year in japanese

Many people don’t know what to say when they bid goodbye to their friends before the new year’s break. Below are some pieces of advice for you.

良いお年を (Yoi otoshi o) or more formal 良いお年をお迎えください(Yoiotoshi o o mukae kudasai): Wish you a good/happy new year.

少し早いですが、よいお年をお迎え下さい. (Sukoshi hayaidesuga, yoi otoshi o o mukae kudasai): It’s still a little too early, but wish you a happy new year.

お元気で、新年をお迎えください. (Ogenkide, shinnen o o mukae kudasai): Wish you a healthy and happy new year.

 良い冬休みを! (いいふゆやすみを!) yoi fuyu yasumi o!): Have a happy winter break!

また来年! (またらいねん!) Mata rainen! : See you next year.

良い休暇を! (いいきゅうかを!) Ī kyū ka o! : Have a nice holiday!

休暇を楽しんでね! (きゅうかをたのしんでね!) Kyūka o tanoshinde ne! Enjoy your amazing holidays!

How to say happy new year in japanese

Aside from the traditional phrase: 明けましておめでとう! (akemashite omedetō) – Happy New Year, there are many other wishes and greetings you can use.

Between close friends, only need to say: あけおめ (ake ome) this phrase is much more endearing and affectionate. In more fomal cases, use this phrase 明けましておめでとうございます(Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu).

ハヌーカおめでとう! (Hanuka omedetō!) Similarly, a Happy new year in Japanese.

After the new year greeting, Japanese people often add: 昨年は大変お世話になりありがとうございました.(Sakunen wa taihen osewa ni nari arigatōgozaimashita.) Thank you for your help last year.

今年も宜しくお願いします! (Kotoshimo yoroshiku onegaishimasu!) or simpler: 今年もよろしくね! (Kotoshimoyoroshiku ne!) : I really hope our relationship will get better and better this year/I really look forward to your continued good will in the coming year.

今年もお世話になりました。来年もどうぞよろしく(Kotoshi mo osewaninarimashita. Rainen mo dōzo yoroshiku): I’m grateful to you for your support last year. I’m looking forward to your help next year.

 本年もどうぞよろしくお願いします. (Honnen mo dōzoyoroshiku onegaishimasu) can have different meanings such as: I’m looking forward to your continuous support or Hope everything goes well with you.

新年が良い年でありますように (しんねんがよいとしでありあすように) Shinnen ga yoi toshide arimasu yō ni : Wish you all the best.

すべてが順調にいきますように (Subete ga junchō ni ikimasu yō ni) : Hope everything goes well with you.

To some close friends, after the greeting, you and make a cute expression and ask  お年玉は?(Otoshidama wa) – Where is my lucky money?

Japanese New Year’s Cards

Japanese people have a habit of sending new year’s cards. These cards are  年賀状 (Nengajō – New year’s card) and you can buy them at 郵 便局 (Yūbinkyoku – post office) and send them right there. Normally, the post office will deliver them on the new year’s day. The interesting thing is, there is a code on the card, if you’re lucky, you might get the prize. 当選番号 (Tōsen bangō – prize code) will be announced on the internet or newspapers anytime in the middle of January. The prizes can be TVs, cameras, sometimes travel tours. That’s why they are called お年玉年賀状 (Otoshidama nengajō – prize cards for the new year).

Moreover, you can also send your e-cards. Remember to send them before Dec, 31.

Let’s take a look at what’s on the card.

– Use the Happy new year phrases in Japanese such as 明けましておめでとうございます, 今年も宜しくお願いします or 今年も宜しくお願いします!

How to say happy new year in japanese – Other phrases:

年始のご挨拶を申し上げます. (Nenshi no go aisatsu o mōshiagemasu): Happy new year to you.

旧年中はお世話になりました. (Kyū nenjū wa osewaninarimashita): Thank you for what you have done for me last year.

ご健勝とご多幸をお祈り申し上げます. (Gokenshō to go takō o oinori mōshiagemasu): Wish your family health and happiness.

 – Choose cards which already have phrases such as  謹賀新年(kinga shinnen), 賀正 (gashō means to celebrate new year), 迎春(geishun – means to welcome spring) printed on them. If they are not available, you can write them yourself. Remember these phrases are only used on cards, rarely used in conversations.

– Japanese people also like to use Chinese Zodiac signs to present the new year on cards. They usually buy cards with zodiac signs printed on them or they will draw them on. For example: 2016 is 申年 (Saru doshi – year of monkey), the monkey sign will bring good luck.

However, Japanese people won’t send 年賀状 or wishes like 明けましておめでとう to those who have lost a loved one. You should keep this in mind.

Above is a combination of commonly used Japanese New Year Phrases. Obviously we can’t cover everything but hopefully, this article will help you improve on your Japanese vocabulary and be able to help you somehow. We wish you a new year filled with joy, happiness, and luck.  少し早いですが、よいお年をお迎え下さい.

Check out other similar articles in section: How to speak Japanese

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