Regional greetings and standard Japanese

The idea

In some Kansai settings おおきに expresses thanks, and まいど can greet a customer with a sense of continuing custom. Standard ありがとうございます is polite thanks. はいさい is an Okinawan greeting akin to “hello”; Okinawan is a Ryukyuan language, not simply an accent of standard Japanese. The examples use standard Japanese.

Examples

• お店みせの人ひとに、「ありがとうございます」と言いいました。I said “thank you” to the person at the shop.
• 友達ともだちに、「お久ひさしぶりですね」と言いいました。I said “it’s been a while” to a friend.
• 朝あさ、近所きんじょの人ひとに「おはようございます」と言いいます。In the morning I say “good morning” to a neighbour.
• 店みせに入はいると、「いらっしゃいませ」と言いわれました。When I entered the shop, someone said “welcome”.
• 手伝てつだってくれて、どうもありがとうございます。Thank you very much for helping me.
• 相手あいてや場所ばしょで、あいさつが変かわります。Greetings change according to the person and place.

Watch out

まいど is not a universal replacement for こんにちは, and not everyone in a region uses the same greetings. Choose a polite form appropriate to the relationship.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the Japanese term for “Kansai expression of thanks”: （おおきに／まいど）

   Show answer or example answer

   おおきに

   おおきに means “Kansai expression of thanks”; まいど means “Kansai greeting to a customer”.

2. Choose the Japanese term for “Kansai greeting to a customer”: （まいど／はいさい）

   Show answer or example answer

   まいど

   まいど means “Kansai greeting to a customer”; はいさい means “Okinawan greeting”.

3. Choose the Japanese term for “Okinawan greeting”: （はいさい／おおきに）

   Show answer or example answer

   はいさい

   はいさい means “Okinawan greeting”; おおきに means “Kansai expression of thanks”.

Use it today

Compare a shop greeting with a greeting to a neighbour in standard Japanese.