{"id":107575,"date":"2023-04-22T23:23:03","date_gmt":"2023-04-23T03:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/good-night-in-japanese\/"},"modified":"2025-06-18T03:33:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T07:33:20","slug":"good-night-in-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/japanese\/good-night-in-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"“Good Night” in Japanese Plus Related Words and Phrases"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u304a\u4f11\u307f (\u304a\u3084\u3059\u307f) or “Good night” is one of the most basic expressions in Japanese\u2014but it’s not the only phrase that you can use.\u00a0With Japanese, you often use different expressions depending on who you’re talking to.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In this guide, I\u2019ll explain \u304a\u4f11\u307f (\u304a\u3084\u3059\u307f) and other helpful evening phrases so you\u2019re always prepared.\u00a0Choose a few that suit you the most, or challenge yourself to get to know them all.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc skip=4]<\/p>\n

1. Good night (formal) \u2014 \u304a\u4f11\u307f\u306a\u3055\u3044 <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hiragana: \u304a\u3084\u3059\u307f\u306a\u3055\u3044<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most basic way to say \u201cgoodnight\u201d in Japanese is \u304a\u4f11\u307f\u306a\u3055\u3044. This is also the most formal way, so you could use this with an acquaintance in your dorm, your host mother or your older colleague on a work trip, for example.<\/p>\n

2. Good night (casual) <\/strong>\u2014\u00a0<\/strong>\u304a\u4f11\u307f <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hiragana: \u304a\u3084\u3059\u307f<\/strong><\/p>\n

This has the same meaning as \u304a\u4f11\u307f\u306a\u3055\u3044, but it’s more casual. You can use this with friends, family or anyone you feel close or \u201cequal\u201d to. I use this one the most!<\/p>\n

3. Sleep well <\/strong>\u2014 <\/strong>\u3050\u3063\u3059\u308a\u304a\u4f11\u307f\u306a\u3055\u3044 <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hiragana: \u3050\u3063\u3059\u308a\u304a\u3084\u3059\u307f\u306a\u3055\u3044<\/strong><\/p>\n

This one is a lot less common than the first two. It literally means \u201csleep well,\u201d but it implies that you have had a hard day or are extra-deserving of a good night\u2019s sleep in some way. Sometimes I say this after a long hike with a friend.<\/p>\n

4. I think I\u2019ll go to bed: \u306d\u3088\u3046\u304b\u306a <\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is a very casual way of expressing that you are thinking of going to bed. It\u2019s often accompanied by a stretch of the arms and usually indicates that the speaker is calling it a night.<\/p>\n

5. I\u2019m going to bed: \u3082\u3046\u5bdd\u307e\u3059<\/h2>\n

Hiragana: \u3082\u3046\u306d\u307e\u3059<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is quite a decisive way of saying you are going to bed, and can be used in formal or casual situations. \u201c\u3082\u3046\u201d here is optional, but implies you think it\u2019s a bit early, or simply softens the sentence instead of suddenly declaring your need for bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All of the five expressions above are variations of “good night,” and which one to use depends on the situation. To really understand each expression, one resource is FluentU<\/a>, which teaches you Japanese in context through native Japanese videos.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \"FluentU\r\n

\r\n