Sayonara (Good Bye)

Jun 11, 2016 16:59
If you've learnt Japanese, you shall know the Japanese word "sayonara," which means "bye."

Although "sayonara" was very common Japanese phrase, it's not used so often these days.

In fact, I don't remember when the last time I said sayonara.

In most cases when we go home, we will say "zyane" (see you) or "matane" (later) to our friends, and say "otsukare sama" (have a nice evening) or "shiturei shimasu" (I'm sorry to leave early) to our bosses or colleagues.

The reason that sayonara isn't used so often seems to be because it sounds a forever farewell.

I heard that native speakers don't say "bood bye" so often in recent years, but the reason might be the same.
さようなら

日本語を学ぶと、「bye」の意味を持つ「さようなら」という言葉を知ると思います。

「さようなら」はとても一般的な日本語ですが、最近の日本ではあまり使われなくなってきました。

実際、私も最後にいつ使ったか覚えていません。

友人と別れるときは、「じゃあね」「またね」などと言い、目上の人や仕事関係の人と別れるときは、「お疲れさま」「失礼します」などと言います。

「さようなら」と言うと、もう二度と会えないようなニュアンスに聞こえるため、使われなくなったようです。

ネイティブスピーカーは、日常会話で「good bye」を使わないと聞きましたが、同じ理由なのかもしれません。
No. 1 gracie_ee
  • Sayonara (Good Bye)
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • If you've learnt Japanese, you shall know the Japanese word "sayonara," which means "bye."
  • If you've learnt Japanese, you shall/will know the Japanese word "sayonara," which means "bye."
  • Although "sayonara" was very common Japanese phrase, it's not used so often these days.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • In fact, I don't remember when the last time I said sayonara.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • In most cases when we go home, we will say "zyane" (see you) or "matane" (later) to our friends, and say "otsukare sama" (have a nice evening) or "shiturei shimasu" (I'm sorry to leave early) to our bosses or colleagues.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • The reason that sayonara isn't used so often seems to be because it sounds a forever farewell.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • I heard that native speakers don't say "bood bye" so often in recent years, but the reason might be the same.
  • I heard that native speakers don't say "good bye" so often in recent years, but the reason might be the same.

Sayonara is actually somewhat familiar to Westerners. It was commonly used in the popular American cartoon "Phineas and Ferb" where the villian, Doofenshmirtz would often say "Sayonara suckers to his nemesis, Perry the Platypus.

Toru
Thank you very much for correcting my post!
And thank you for letting me know the interesting information :)
I realized that some overseas phrases might become famous through cartoons.
No. 2 Yukinekorin
  • Sayonara (Good Bye)
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • If you've learnt Japanese, you shall know the Japanese word "sayonara," which means "bye."
  • If you've learnt Japanese, you would/might know the Japanese word "sayonara," which means "bye."

    "Shall" kind of gives me the feeling that I will know it in the future, hence it felt weird in this sentence.

    E.g
    1. I shall start studying later.
    2. You shall not do what he has ordered you to do.

    If we use "will", it tends to give the feeling that you expect us to know the word. Therefore, I feel that "would" or "might" are better words to use here as it implies something like "as you know", which is more polite and not as dominant as "will".

  • Although "sayonara" was very common Japanese phrase, it's not used so often these days.
  • Although "sayonara" was a very common Japanese phrase, it's not used as often these days.
  • In fact, I don't remember when the last time I said sayonara.
  • In fact, I don't remember when was the last time I said sayonara.
  • In most cases when we go home, we will say "zyane" (see you) or "matane" (later) to our friends, and say "otsukare sama" (have a nice evening) or "shiturei shimasu" (I'm sorry to leave early) to our bosses or colleagues.
  • In most cases when we go home, we will say "zyane" (see you) or "matane" (later) to our friends, and "otsukare sama" (have a nice evening) or "shiturei shimasu" (I'm sorry to leave early) to our bosses or colleagues.
  • The reason that sayonara isn't used so often seems to be because it sounds a forever farewell.
  • The reason why sayonara isn't used so often seems to be because it sounds like a forever farewell.
  • I heard that native speakers don't say "bood bye" so often in recent years, but the reason might be the same.
  • I heard that native speakers don't say "good bye" so often in recent years, but the reason might be the same.

You are right! We usually just say "bye" or "see ya tomorrow". I am not sure if that's the reason why we don't say "good bye" that often. It may be due to it being too formal and such. Hmm...

Before I learned Japanese, I used to think that "sayonara" is the only way to say "bye" in Japanese. My friends who do not learn Japanese often use the phrase, and after I had started learning Japanese, I started to find it weird when they say it because I know that it is not used that often. xD

Toru
Thank you very much the corrections and the kind explanation! :)

Indeed, "good bye" (and "sayonara") might be too formal. Actually, in Japanese schools, teachers and students usually say "sayonara" to each other at the end of classes.
Yukinekorin
Ahh I see. ^^ In Singapore primary and secondary schools, at the end of classes, the whole class would stand up and say "thank you and good bye _____" to the teacher. After that, it is quite a casual atmosphere. For students who stay back after class to ask questions and such, we would usually say "bye" to the teacher instead of the more formal style.
Toru
Thank you for sharing the information :)
It's interesting. I think that most Japanese students never use casual expressions to teachers, though teachers could say casual words after class.
Yukinekorin
No problem, I'm glad to share :)
I guess Singapore focuses on the bonding between teachers and students, so although schools emphasize on respect (like Japanese schools, although Japanese schools are clearly stricter on this due to your culture), we sometimes treat teachers as our friends. Sometimes we even high five our teachers xD
Toru
Sounds great :)
Actually, I'm now a teacher, but I think that I'd like to be just like a friend of students.
Yukinekorin
Yeah that's great! I would love to be your student :P