Translation guide
How to tell someone to cheer up, or describe becoming happier, in Japanese.
You want to encourage a friend or someone who seems down.
The most common, natural way to say 'cheer up' to a friend. Literally 'put out energy/spirit'.
Cheer up. Tomorrow will surely be a good day.
A more masculine, rough way to say 'cheer up'. Used among close male friends.
Don't make that face. Cheer up.
Polite version of 'cheer up'. Use with people you're not close to or in formal situations.
Please cheer up.
Means 'pull yourself together' or 'get a grip'. Used when someone is falling apart emotionally.
Cheer up / Pull yourself together. There's still a chance.
Literally 'don't get depressed'. A softer way to say cheer up, focusing on not feeling down.
Describing that someone's mood improved or they became happier.
The most common way to say 'cheer up' in the sense of becoming cheerful. Literally 'become energetic'.
You want to say that you or something cheered someone up.
Telling yourself or someone to cheer themselves up.
Used when you need to cheer yourself up. Often in advice or self-talk.
The English loanword チアアップ is not used in Japanese. Always use native expressions like 元気出して.
'Cheer up' as a loanword is not understood in Japanese.
頑張って (do your best) is often used to encourage someone before a challenge, while 元気出して is specifically for cheering someone up when they are sad or depressed. Using 頑張って to a depressed person can sometimes feel dismissive.
Everyone makes mistakes. Don't let it get you down.
I cheered up after seeing my friend.
Means 'to brighten up', both in mood and expression. Often used for someone's face or atmosphere.
Her face suddenly brightened up.
Literally 'mood becomes good'. A straightforward way to say you feel better emotionally.
I felt better after taking a walk.
Means 'to regain one's energy/spirits'. Slightly more formal or literary.
He gradually cheered up.
The standard transitive verb for 'cheer someone up'. Literally 'to attach energy'.
I tried to cheer her up.
Means 'to encourage' or 'cheer up' by giving support or kind words.
My friend was feeling down, so I cheered him up.
Literally 'make someone's mood good'. A bit more explicit and less common than 元気づける.
The joke cheered him up.
When you're feeling down, it's important to cheer yourself up.
Telling a depressed friend 'do your best' might be counterproductive.