Translation guide
Expressing joy, celebration, or happiness. Japanese has several words for rejoicing, ranging from general happiness to festive celebration. The most common way to express rejoicing is through verbs like 喜ぶ (yorokobu) for personal joy, or 祝う (iwau) for celebrating an occasion. Context and formality matter: casual rejoicing among friends differs from formal congratulations.
Expressing that someone is happy or glad about something, often a personal feeling.
The most common verb for 'to rejoice' or 'to be glad'. Used for personal happiness about good news, gifts, etc. Can be used for oneself or others.
He rejoiced when he heard the news.
I am sincerely rejoicing at my friend's success.
An adjective meaning 'happy' or 'glad'. Often used to express one's own feelings of joy. More immediate and emotional than 喜ぶ.
I'm rejoicing over receiving a present.
I'm truly rejoicing to see you.
Means 'to be overjoyed' or 'to rejoice greatly'. Emphasizes strong happiness.
The children rejoiced greatly over the presents.
Marking a special occasion with joy, often involving a gathering or formal recognition.
To celebrate or congratulate. Used for birthdays, weddings, promotions, etc. Can be used for both personal and public celebrations.
We rejoiced in his promotion.
Noun meaning 'celebration' or 'congratulations'. Often used with する to mean 'to celebrate'.
Formal term for 'celebration' or 'rejoicing', often used in official contexts like national holidays or public ceremonies.
Rejoicing through cheers, shouts, or collective expressions of happiness.
Expressing joy in a religious context, such as praising or giving thanks.
A combination of 喜ぶ and 祝う, meaning to rejoice and celebrate. Can be used in religious contexts like Christmas or Easter.
We rejoice in the birth of Christ at Christmas.
To praise or glorify, often used in Christian contexts for rejoicing in God. Not a direct translation of 'rejoice' but used in similar settings.
The believers rejoiced in God.
喜ぶ is a verb that can describe someone else's joy (e.g., 彼は喜んでいる 'He is rejoicing'), while 嬉しい is an adjective typically used for the speaker's own feelings (e.g., 私は嬉しい 'I am happy'). Using 嬉しい for others requires softening (e.g., 嬉しそうだ 'seems happy').
English 'rejoice' can sound formal or archaic. In Japanese, using 歓喜する or 喜び祝う in casual conversation may sound unnatural. Stick to 喜ぶ or 嬉しい for everyday joy.
We gathered to celebrate the New Year.
結婚のお祝いをありがとう。
Thank you for the wedding celebration.
A celebration party was held.
At the moment of the goal, the spectators rejoiced aloud.