Japanese

Phrase

明けましておめでとうございます ‎(hiragana あけましておめでとうございます, romaji akemashite omedetō gozaimasu)

1. Happy New Year!

   明 (あ)けましておめでとうございます。今年 (ことし)もどうぞよろしく。

   Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu. Kotoshi mo dōzo yoroshiku.

   Happy New Year. We’ll be counting on you this year as well.

Usage notes

The phrase cannot be used before the new year has begun. It is often followed by another expression, 今年もよろしくお願いします (ことしもよろしくおねがいします, kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu), or some variation on that, basically to ask for a continuation of a good relationship in the next year.

Synonyms

• 明 (あ)けましておめでとう ‎(akemashite omedetō)
• 新年 (しんねん)おめでとうございます ‎(shinnen omedetō gozaimasu)
• 新年明 (しんねんあ)けましておめでとうございます ‎(shinnen akemashite omedetō gozaimasu)
• 謹賀新年 (きんがしんねん) ‎(kinga shinnen)

Related terms

• 良 (よ)いお年 (とし)をお迎 (むか)え下 (くだ)さい ‎(yoi otoshi o omukae kudasai)

References

• Muira, Akira: Japanese words & their uses. Charles E. tuttle Company, 1990. ISBN 0-8048-1639-5

See also

• Japanese New Year on Wikipedia.Wikipedia