Translation guide
How to greet and address people in Japanese, including opening and closing phrases in letters and emails.
Expressing a standard greeting when meeting someone, depending on time of day and formality.
Good morning (polite). Used until late morning.
Good morning, teacher.
Hello / Good afternoon. Used from late morning until evening.
Hello, how are you?
Good evening.
Good evening, thank you for your hard work.
Good morning (casual). Used with friends and family.
Morning, did you sleep well?
The opening phrase used at the beginning of a written correspondence.
Dear Sir/Madam (formal letter opening). Often paired with 敬具 at the end.
Dear Sir/Madam, I hope this letter finds you well in this spring weather.
Informal letter opening, skipping seasonal greetings. Used in less formal letters.
In emails, it's common to start with the recipient's name followed by 様 (formal) or さん (less formal).
The closing phrase used at the end of a written correspondence.
Using a person's title or role as a form of salutation, especially in formal or business contexts.
In Japanese, it's common to address people by their title or role followed by an honorific, rather than using a generic 'sir' or 'madam'.
Good morning, President.
Teacher, I have a question.
English letter openings like 'Dear John' are not directly translated. Instead, use the name with an honorific (e.g., ジョンさん) or a formal opening like 拝啓.
To John,
前略先日はありがとうございました。
I'll skip the formalities. Thank you for the other day.
Hi Yamada,
草々
Best,
Just a quick note to let you know.