Konnichiwa?? Why?
 

Hi everyone! I wonder why some ppl use the word "konnichiwa" to greet someone. Ive seen some posts here in JF too where ppl start by saying "konnichiwa!!", but doesnt "konnichiwa" mean "good afternoon"? correct me if im wrong.. thank you.. :)

Your right althow people should say it in all the terms.

It can also mean "hello" in the general sense.

Right there are lots of ways to say one thing in japanese.

Konnichiwa literally means "How is this day?"

Look at the kanji: 今日は. THIS + DAY + Topic marker. It's likely a shortened form of an older phrase, Konnichiwadoudesuka.

And English is what makes the whole "good afternoon" thing confusing. In US English, we tend never to say "Good day." Thus, the best translation for "konnichiwa" is never even uttered by native US English speakers. Hence, why you think "konnichiwa" means "good afternoon."

Yes well put.:vsign:

Did you build this city on J-Rock and Roll?

kylegoetz the 2nd kanji 日means Sun right? with はbeing Ha but changed to wa when its alone?

Konnichiwa litterally means
"This Day is"

but people use it for "good afternoon" and "hey"

It ALSO means "sun". It also means "day" and "Sunday" depending on context.

は is pronounced HA, but when used as the particle "wa" it is pronounced WA.

Thanks MMM i was right its nice to see my studying paying off.

One more question i recongnize 今 but i cant remember it could someone help me out please?

I found a site which says "Konnichiwa" means "Hello, Good Afternoon"

-> Greetings and Salutations

Im really confused on this one..

What's to be confused about?
Just remember that こんにちは is the equivalent "Hello" or "Good afternoon" in English :)

It's literal translation isn't "good afternoon", but it is used in the same way.

You don't say "good afternoon" in the morining just as you don't "konnichiwa" in the morning you say "ohayou". You also don't say "good afternoon" once it is dark, the same as you don't say "konnichiwa" you say "konbanwa". It is a functional translation not a literal one.

Im clear now, Many thanks for you help! :)

It's never that simple in Japanese.

こんにちは means "hello", "good afternoon" etc. used during day time. However, it is rarely used with people that you are familiar with. In practice, こんにちは is hardly ever used between friends and never between your colleagues.

You'll have a fumble a bit when it comes to greeting friends in the day time. There is no clear rule on this in Japanese but おっす、おう、やあ、久しぶり、お疲れ様 are a good start.

One thing they don't tell you in textbooks is that おはようございます can be used at any hour when it is your first encounter of the day with a classmate or colleague.

I worked at a night school one day a week, and even though the work day started at 6PM, all the teachers and students said おはようございます to each other. Same in jobs where you work at nights, like bars or restaurants.

そうですね。日本語の挨拶語は案外奥深いものですね。 大阪教育大学の井上博文さんの「挨拶語『こんにちは』 に異変あり？」っていう文章はとても参考になると思い ますよ。ご興味のある方は是非ご覧ください。

http://www.bur.osaka-kyoiku.ac.jp/ga...148/03co01.htm

Konichiwa means Hello in japanese..... yea....and....some ppl might use 'cuase since its a japan fan web and yea...:vsign: :D

I have that same problem. I'll probably feel stupid after someone says what it is.

The Japanese reading is いま which means now.

ima!! I told you I'd feel stupid.

今 is いま, or "now/current/presently/etc." It's Sino-Japanese reading is コン. As in こんにちは. The native Japanese reading is いま, or 今、愛に行きます, a good Japanese movie from a few years ago :)

訂正：いま、会いにゆきます

Very few of us would say 「会いにゆきます」 if ever. We say 「会いにいきます」.

いや、それは映画の題名です。

Wikipedia: いま、会いにゆきます

Yeah, 【今、会いにゆきます】。ドホホ、オレ間違えちゃった ジャン！49(ToT)49

長い間全然見てないから題名を忘れた。でも、題名の「 ゆきます」の意味は「行く」じゃないか。５年前、ホー ストファミリーにきいた。「うん、そうだかも。」

んで、「いく」も「ゆく」も「行く」の読み方だろうな 。

Edit: I was listening to 紅白歌合戦第５９回 earlier, and the enka singers do sing 行く as ゆく. Of course, enka pronunciation conventions are hardly demonstrative of a typical Tokyo accent. But then again, I speak the yotsugana like I'm from Oita or Fukuoka and the ga like I'm a Tokyo broadcaster :| So I'm not trustworthy on standard phonetics.

Why revive an old thread just to sat what EVERYONE already knows?

I say it for Hello, and Good Day.