While China and Japan may be relatively close geographically and both shape today’s cultural, economic, business, and pop culture landscapes, the Chinese and Japanese languages have clear distinctions.

The Chinese language is estimated to be spoken by more than one-fifth of the world’s population. Japanese, on the other hand, is primarily spoken in Japan. And due to the massive influence and reach of both China and Japan, many language learners often struggle with the dilemma of choosing whether to learn Chinese or Japanese, and the fundamentals of what makes each language so special and unique from the other. 

In this article, we will help distinguish between the Chinese and the Japanese languages so that you can adopt a greater appreciation and understanding of each one, and determine which language is more aligned with your language learning wants and needs! 

History of the Chinese and Japanese Languages

Chinese Language

The Chinese and Japanese languages have ancient roots, tracing back thousands of years for both written and oral communication.  The modern Chinese language originated from the Proto-Sino-Tibetan language family, which emerged in the Yellow River region of northern China approximately 6,000 years ago. The historical timeline of the Chinese language can be divided into 4 distinctive eras: 

1. Ancient Chinese: 18th century BC – 3rd century AD
2. Middle Chinese: 4th century AD – 12th century AD
3. Early Modern Chinese:13th – 20th century
4. Modern Chinese: 20th century to present day

Each of these evolutionary eras marks a distinct shift in both the spoken and written Chinese language. 

For instance, Ancient Chinese featured many monosyllabic consonants (a word with only one syllable, ex. “hi” or “see”) and lack of inflections (changing a word’s form to align with a certain tense, ex. “chased” or “jumped”), marking the early emergence of a language without the later fine-tuning and specifics quite yet. 

Middle Chinese marked the early development of tonal variation, including level (píng) — a stable pitch, rising (shǎng) — a pitch that rises during the syllable, and departing (qù) — a falling pitch. During this period, the distinction between aspirated and unaspirated sounds also emerged. Aspirated sounds required a stronger burst of air upon pronunciation, whereas unaspirated sounds involved much less airflow.

Early Modern Chinese set the groundwork for the Chinese that we recognize today, including more disyllabic words (a word with more than one syllable, like  “sunshine” or “rainbow”), as well as the gradual shift towards Mandarin. 

Modern Chinese marks a significant change as the Mandarin dialect, which emerged in Beijing, becomes the official language across China and is widely spoken by the vast majority of the Chinese population. 

Japanese Language

The Japanese language is a member of the Japonic family, which comprises all of the languages spoken on the Japanese islands. The origins of the Japanese language date back approximately 2,000 years, coinciding with the Yayoi peoples’ arrival on the Japanese islands. The Japanese language can be sectioned off into three evolutionary categories:

1. Old Japanese: 710-794 
2. Early Middle Japanese: 800-1200
3. Late Middle Japanese: 1200-1600
4. Modern Japanese: 1600 to present day 

The Japanese language developed across each of these distinctive eras. Old Japanese utilized Man’yogana, which was an ancient Japanese writing system that focused on sounds derived from Chinese characters to convey meaning instead of a literal translation, as well as the introduction of a basic syllable before it later advanced. 

Early Middle Japanese saw the beginning stages of hiragana (native Japanese words) and katakana (loan words from foreign languages) in the written Japanese language, as well as an increased volume of words borrowed from Chinese characters to implement their meaning into the Japanese language, known as kanji. 

Late Middle Japanese saw the erasure of many nominal inflections (modifying a noun to adjust to a new element such as number or possession, like “horses” or “the horse’s hay”), which were previously used, as well as the introduction of loan words (katakana) from English. 

An important aspect of Modern Japanese as we know it today is the introduction of keigo, which is an honorific language that modifies words and titles depending on who the speaker is talking to and the degree to which they are showing respect or familiarity. The modern era also saw increased romaji, or romanized spelling of Japanese words (like “arigato gozaimasu” or “sumimasen”). If you are interested in tips and tricks to learn for newcomers to the Japanese language, take a look at our article detailing how to learn Japanese from scratch. 

Chinese vs Japanese Writing Systems 

The Chinese and Japanese writing systems are quite different from one another in many ways. 

Chinese Writing System

First and foremost, Chinese utilizes two writing systems called hanzi, which encompasses all Chinese characters, both traditional and simplified, and pinyin, which uses the Latin alphabet to convey Chinese sounds. There is also zhuyin, which is predominantly used in Taiwan to transcribe sounds from Mandarin. 

Japanese Writing System

Japanese, on the other hand, has three writing systems. It utilizes hiragana, which includes all native Japanese words; katakana, which is used for foreign loan words; and kanji, which is composed of logographic Chinese symbols. For an in-depth look into the Japanese writing systems, check out our article diving into hiragana, katakana, and kanji. 

While Japanese may borrow certain logographic symbols from Chinese, the pronunciation can be entirely different. For example, the logograph 水 (shuǐ) means water in Chinese, and the Japanese Kanji for water 水 (mizu) are identical in terms of character and meaning, but are pronounced differently. 

Chinese also has simplified and traditional characters, unlike Japanese. Simplified characters are easier to write and involve fewer intricate details, while traditional characters are more akin to historical accuracy but involve far more complex designs. Simplified characters are often utilized in mainland China and Taiwan, while traditional characters are more common in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Japanese also has its own writing system composed of simplified Kanji, called shinjitai. 

Want to start learning Japanese? We recommend joining conversation-focused beginner lessons at Coto Academy, available on a part-time or full-time basis. You’ll build a solid foundation in hiragana, katakana, and essential grammar, while gaining confidence to speak Japanese from day one.

Pronunciation and Phonetics

Chinese and Japanese pronunciation differ quite a bit from one another. Before we discuss the differences between the two, it is helpful to understand the key differences between pitch and tone as they relate to language. Pitch is what conveys the emotion or emphasis on a word, while tone utilizes pitch to create an entirely different meaning of a word.

Chinese Language

Chinese is a tonal language, with four distinct tones that can change the meaning of a word entirely. In the Modern Chinese language, the four tones are: 

1. 1st tone: level pitch (ex. wēn) where you maintain a high and steady pitch
2. 2nd tone: rising pitch (ex. wén) where you begin with a middle pitch and increase to a higher pitch
3. 3rd tone: falling-rising (ex. wěn), whee you begin with a middle pitch and then lower it, then proceed to raise your pitch again 
4. 4th tone: falling (ex. wèn), where you start off high-pitched and then sharply drop your tone 

Depending on the tone used, the meaning of the word above changes significantly, so mastering tones is a key element of learning the Chinese language! 

There is also a “neutral tone” in Chinese, although it is not considered its own tone; rather, it is considered an unaccented and unstressed syllable and lends its pitch to whichever tone appeared before it, as the neutral tone cannot exist alone. 

Japanese Language

Japanese is far less reliant on tonal variations to convey meaning. However, the importance of pitch is still prevalent in the Japanese language, with high and low pitches distinguishing words that are otherwise pronounced the same. 

Before we discuss the different pitches and how to make them, we must first understand what a mora is. 

Mora is the unit of sound that the Japanese language follows, similar to a syllable in English. However, moras are unique since they are given equal length, whereas syllables can be given unequal length in terms of time. An example of this is バス (basu) versus bus, with ba-su being two moras and the English spelling of bus only having one syllable. With this information taken into account, the four pitch patterns in Japanese are as follows:

1. Heiban (平板). Unaccented and flat (most Japanese words fall under this category) 
2. Atamadaka (頭高). The first mora begins high, and then the second mora drops to a low pitch
3. Nakadaka (​​中高). The first mora is low-pitched before transitioning to a higher pitch in the middle, and then falling back to a low mora 
4. Odaka (尾高). The first unit is flat and then rises to a high pitch for the duration of the word

For example, “ame” can mean either rain (雨) or candy (飴) depending on the pitch, with rain being a higher-pitched and candy being lower-pitched. 

If you are interested in learning more about the intricacies of the Japanese language and what makes it challenging to learn, feel free to read our other article detailing why Japanese is a challenging language to learn. Context clues can help Japanese learners differentiate between meanings and are more beginner-friendly since a Japanese speaker can likely still understand what is trying to be said, whereas Chinese is more difficult as improper tonal variation makes it far more difficult to discern the intended meaning. 

Grammar Sentence and Structure 

Chinese sentence structure uses subject-verb-object (SVO) order, while Japanese structure consists of subject-object-verb (SOV) order. 

An example showcasing this differentiation is the sentence “I listen to music” in Chinese and Japanese. 

In Japanese, it is “私は音楽を聴きます” (Watashi wa ongaku o kikimasu), or “I music listen to” if translated literally into English. 

The same sentence in Chinese would be “我听音乐” (Wǒ tīng yīnyuè), or “I listen to music”, which sounds more familiar to speakers of SVO languages, including English.

Japanese grammar also differs quite a bit from Chinese grammar when it comes to affixes, which are additions to the beginning or end of a root word to alter its meaning and purpose. This is represented by the usage of honorifics such as -chan (ちゃん), -san (さん), -sama (様), and -kun (君), which are added onto the end of a person’s name to convey varying levels of relation and formality. While Chinese also utilizes honorifics, it is far less integral grammar-wise to the overall structure and tone of a sentence than is the case in Japanese.   

Verbs in Chinese vs Japanese Language

The ways in which verbs are used and modified in Chinese vs. Japanese writing marks another area in which the two languages contrast with each other. 

In Chinese, verbs do not inflect and remain the same regardless of the tense or number; instead, the usage of particles such as 了(le) for completed actions and 在 (zài) for actions which are still being undergone indicates tense. An example of this is “I swam” or “ 我游泳了” (Wǒ yóu yǒng le), as well as “I am swimming” or “我在游泳” (Wǒ zài yóu yǒng). On the other hand, Japanese verbs can be altered depending on aspects such as tense, negation, and politeness level. For example, some forms of “to eat” include: 

As you can see, there are many different ways in which verbs can be conjugated in Japanese! Saying “to eat” in Chinese, on the other hand, would simply be 吃 (chī), regardless of any and all factors which may influence Japanese conjugation. 

Vocabulary and Share Words: Japanese vs. Chinese Characters  

Many Japanese characters are borrowed from Chinese logograms (kanji), intrinsically linking certain parts of Japanese vocabulary with those of Chinese.  

Surprisingly, Japanese features far more foreign loan words (katakana) than Chinese, with Chinese placing more emphasis on translating the meaning of the word rather than the sounds produced. As a result, certain Kanji can be recognized by Chinese speakers, and borrowed words such as テレビ (terebi), カメラ (kamera), and ホテル (hoteru) can be understood by English speakers, giving Japanese vocabulary much more foreign influence than Chinese vocabulary. 

In the case of Kanji, however, pronunciation may differ from its Chinese origins. A few of these “false friends” include:

Similarities Between Chinese and Japanese Languages 

While both Chinese and Japanese may have many differences from one another, there are also a few noteworthy similarities that the two languages share. As discussed previously, a sizable portion of Japanese words are derived from Chinese logograms, oftentimes with shared meanings even if the pronunciation differs. Examples of this include: 

Another similarity between Japanese and Chinese languages is the name order placement, with the family name coming before the first name in both introductions and in writing. 

Additionally, the use of measure words is a commonality shared between Chinese and Japanese, which is a concept that classifies the specific objects or things that are being counted. For example, when counting people, instead of using the generic numberings of ichi (1), ni (2), san (3) in Japanese or yī (1), èr (2), sān (3) in Chinese, there is a specific counting system that the category of “people” falls under. Hitori, futari, sannin, and so on, and yī rén, liǎng ge rén, sān ge rén, and so on are the counting systems that would be used to count people in Japanese and Chinese, respectively. 

So, Which is Easier? Chinese or Japanese Language?

Now that we have done a deep dive into Chinese and Japanese languages, it boils down to the question: which one is easier?

Both the Chinese and Japanese languages have their fair share of language-specific and common difficulties, so learning each will be a rewarding challenge for those who are willing to tackle it head-on. However, taking into account all the factors we have discussed in this article and our comparisons of the two languages, the question of “which language is more difficult?” ultimately boils down to two categories: speaking and writing. 

In relation to speaking, Chinese is more difficult than Japanese due to the complex tones, which require hard work and discipline to be able to master and discern during spoken conversation. 

Japanese, on the other hand, is not reliant on tone and is easier to speak and understand, with more leeway in terms of context clues and less need for a trained ear. On the other hand, in terms of writing, Japanese is more challenging than Chinese due to the three writing systems (hiragana, katakana, kanji) and more complex grammar and sentence structure. Being already familiar with Chinese will give you a helpful upper hand! Check out our article detailing the unique relationship between understanding Chinese and learning Japanese.

Which Language Should You Learn?

Both Chinese and Japanese are challenging yet rewarding languages to learn, and both will offer you great satisfaction. So, which one should you study? If you are planning on living, studying, or working in either China or Japan, then you should learn the native language of the respective country. 

Chinese language is a great choice if you plan on going into business, economics, or international relations due to its global dominance and power. Japanese, on the other hand, is an amazing choice due to its worldwide influence in the entertainment, media, technology, and pop culture spheres. Or if you simply want to learn a language for fun, then both are great options!

Conclusion

Both Chinese and Japanese are becoming increasingly popular languages to learn, and Japan is quickly emerging as a top destination for people looking to build their careers.

The good news? If you’re a native Chinese speaker, learning Japanese can be easier than you think! That’s where Coto Academy’s Intensive Japanese Lessons come in.

Our programs are designed to support learners at every level, from complete beginners to advanced speakers. With experienced teachers, immersive lessons, and a clear, step-by-step approach, you’ll strengthen your grammar, expand your vocabulary, and gain confidence using Japanese in real-life situations. Chinese learners can also take full advantage of their kanji knowledge while focusing on areas that need extra attention.

And for English speakers deciding between learning Japanese or Chinese, why not start your journey with Coto Academy? If you choose to learn Japanese, join our well-balanced lessons that focus on every aspect of the language: grammar, kanji, vocabulary, reading, and listening — all while getting plenty of conversation practice.

Why join Coto Academy?

• Small classrooms with only up to 8 students for personalized support
• Professional native Japanese teachers, all trained to help you succeed
• Over 60 different Japanese classes across 18 levels, tailored to your needs
• School locations in Shibuya, Minato, Iidabashi, and Yokohama, plus a fully online Japanese language school, so that you can learn anywhere, anytime!

FAQ

Passive language may sound like something you want to avoid since it’s frowned upon in English, but did you know it’s far more common in Japanese? Japanese passive verb, or られる form, is used all the time. As you start to advance your Japanese abilities, passive voice will become very useful for understanding how natives speak and for you to express yourself more naturally in Japanese. 

So, what is the passive form in Japanese, and is it different from English? We will cover everything you need to know about passive language, from what it is, how to use it naturally, and how to easily conjugate verbs so you can start using passive Japanese right away!

What is the Passive Voice in Japanese?

Passive language in Japanese is called 受身系 (ukemikei), and it’s a form of communication that emphasizes how an action is affecting you or somebody rather than focusing on who is doing the action. It is considered an indirect form of communicating. 

The passive form is characterized by verb conjugations. In Japanese, you conjugate the verbs into passive form by replacing the suffix or verb endings with れる(reru) or られる(rareru). 

When you conjugate verbs into this form, you are saying the subject was acted upon, not the actions of the subject. For example, by saying 果物はありに食べられた (kudamono wa ari ni taberareta) “the fruit was eaten by ants”, you are emphasizing how the subject was affected. 

The passive voice in Japanese is used for various reasons.  One reason is that both the Japanese language and Japanese culture are very indirect. As a result, the passive voice is more frequently used in Japan than in some other countries.  When speaking keigo, it is often more polite to use the passive, or even potential-form, in many circumstances.

Before you continue, make sure that you have at least learned some basic Japanese verbs. 

Why is Passive Voice So Common in Japanese?

In English, we were taught to speak and write with directness. For instance, rather than saying “forks are used by Americans”, we were taught that saying “Americans use forks” is better. But, even in English, there is still a good reason to use the passive form. 

For example, if you want to emphasize that the food at a party was a crowd pleaser, you might say something like “the food was very popular” and then follow with a passive statement, “it was eaten very quickly”. Passive is clearly the better option to emphasize the subject, which is food, and its popularity since people at the party were eating it all up.  

In Japanese, the passive language is used in the same way, but it’s even more common, so why is that? The passive voice is used for a variety of other purposes, making passive language more frequent in Japanese. 

Culture is one of the biggest factors. In Japan, indirectness is seen as polite and unconfrontational. As a result, the passive voice is more frequently used due to being an indirect form of communication, shifting the focus away from the subject. It also communicates respect and consideration for the listener. This is part of what makes Japanese culture and language so high-context.

In Japanese, the passive voice is also used when the speaker wants to inject the sentence with emotion.  For example, Japanese speakers often use the passive voice in situations where they want to convey a sense that they are a “victim”.  In other words, they use the passive voice to describe when something bad has happened to them. Another use for the passive voice in Japanese is when talking about inanimate objects.  For example, sentences such as “that bridge was built in 1990.”

あの橋は1990年に造られた.
Ano hashi wa 1990 nen ni taterareta.

In these sentences, the speaker is describing something about an inanimate object.  For this, we use passive voice both in English and in Japanese.
Culture is one of the biggest factors. In Japan, indirectness is seen as polite and unconfrontational. As a result, the passive voice is more frequently used due to being an indirect form of communication, shifting the focus away from the subject. It also communicates respect and consideration for the listener. This is part of what makes Japanese culture and language so high-context.

Conjugating Passive Form in Japanese

The way you would conjugate verbs into passive form in Japanese depends on the verb groups. Generally, verbs in Japanese grammar are categorized based on their suffixes, or endings. There are three types of verbs.

If a verb (in dictionary form) ends in う (u), they are called a U-verb. If they end in る(ru), they are Ru-verbs; and verbs that don’t follow the conjugation rules of U-verbs or Ru-verbs are known as irregular verbs. 

We will break down how to conjugate Japanese verbs into passive form based on the following groups: U-verbs, Ru-verbs, and Irregular verbs.

Group 1: U-verb Conjugation

This group has the most variations of the Japanese verb groups.  These are verbs that end in the う sound that aren’t る (with a few exceptions). So, to conjugate, you must change the う to あ followed by れる(reru). For example, here is how to conjugate the verb 引く(hiku), or to pull:

ひく　→ 　ひか　＋　れる　＝　引かれる (hikareru)

We won’t be able to cover all of the verbs, but let’s look at a few to get the feel for how to conjugate these verbs intuitively.

Note that 買う(kau) doesn’t conjugate like you would think; rather than conjugating う to あ, you would conjugate う to わ. Let’s break it down:

買う(kau)　≠　買あ(kaa) 

買う(kau)　→　買わ(kawa)　＋　れる(reru)　＝　買われる(kawareru)

Group 2: Ru-verb Conjugations

Ru-verbs are arguably the easiest to conjugate! All you have to do is drop the る and add られる (rareru) at the end to make it passive. Pretty easy, right? So, Ru-verbs consist of any verbs that end in る (ru), which is the only part that changes. The root of the word remains the same, for example, the word 食べる (taberu), the root is 食べ(tabe).
These are verbs like 食たべる (to eat) and 見みる (to see).  Let’s look at the conjugations, and then we can look at some example sentences!
To conjugate 食べる (taberu), you just drop the る and add られる, which changes it into a passive form:

食べる　ー　る　＋　られる　＝　食べらる (eaten)

Here are some group 2 verbs in the chart below.

Group 3: Irregular Verbs

In case you didn’t know, Japanese verb group 3 has only 2 verbs: する (suru), meaning “to do”, and 来る (kuru), meaning “to do”.
There is no particular rule for conjugating these two, so you simply have to memorize the conjugations. Thankfully, 2 is not that many!  Let’s look at how to conjugate these below. 

Learn About Japanese Verb Conjugations with a Native Tutor!

Japanese verb conjugations can be tricky to master, and learning alone might not always be the easiest path. If you want more structured support, the professional native teachers at Coto Academy are here to help!

We offer online and in-person classes in Tokyo that specifically focus on tackling Japanese grammar, helping you understand and practice verb conjugations effectively.

How is Passive Form Used in Japanese

There are many instances where translating an English active voice sentence directly into Japanese sounds unnatural. That’s because in Japanese, the passive voice is used for a wider range of purposes beyond its English counterpart. Regardless of its function, however, the basic grammar remains the same. Let’s break it down with an example:

りんごはありに食べられた。
Ringo wa ari ni taberareta
The apple was eaten by the ants.

Every sentence using the passive form uses these grammar rules:

Here, the particle は (wa) marks ringo (the apple) as the subject receiving the action, while に (ni) indicates the agent, the one performing the action (the ants). In real conversation, however, either the subject or the doer of the action is often omitted when it’s already understood from context.

For example:

ケーキが(あの人に)食べられました。
Keeki ga (anohito ni) taberaremashita.
That cake was eaten (by that person).

Even though the speaker doesn’t explicitly mention the subject (“he”), it’s clear from context. 

As mentioned, there are many cases when passive language is used. So, let’s go over some of the most common uses in Japanese.

1. Using Passive Form with Inanimate Objects

This is the case where Japanese and English use the passive form most similarly. When talking about inanimate objects, the passive voice is natural because the object cannot perform an action by itself.

あの橋は1990年に造られた

ano hashi wa 1990 nen ni tsukurareta 

That bridge was built in 1990

Here, the focus is on the bridge as the subject, not on who built it. The doer of the action is often unknown or irrelevant, so it’s usually omitted.

2. Using Passive Form to be Polite or Formal

Since indirectness is preferred when speaking in Japanese, the passive form is commonplace in Japanese business etiquette and formal settings. When speaking keigo, it is often more polite to use the passive (or even potential) form in many circumstances to convey respect and avoid being too direct.

For instance:

あなたは間違っています。

Anata wa machigatte imasu.

You made a mistake.

間違いがありました。 

Machigai ga arimashita.

There was a mistake.

Both mean the same thing, but the second phrasing sounds softer and more polite because it removes the “you” from the statement and doesn’t single someone out.

In keigo, the passive form often overlaps with sonkeigo (respectful language). So, it’s common to use in the workplace to show respect, especially to superiors.

For example:

社長がメールを書かれました。
Shachou ga meeru o kakaremashita.
The president wrote an email.

Although koraremashita is grammatically passive, it’s used to elevate the subject’s status, showing respect.

3. Using Passive Form to Emphasize Emotion

Another major difference between English and Japanese is how the passive voice is used emotionally. Japanese speakers often use the passive form to express when something bad or unwanted happened to them, a kind of “victim” nuance.

僕の昼ご飯は兄に食べられちゃった！
Boku no hirugohan wa ani ni taberarechatta!
I had my lunch eaten by my older brother!

Now, the first thing you may notice is that this sentence translation looks strange in English.  However, in Japanese, this is perfectly natural. The speaker uses the passive voice to make it clear that something happened to him or her. 

By contrast, let’s take a look at the same sentence in active form:

兄は僕の昼ご飯を食べた
Ani wa boku no hirugohan o tabeta
My brother ate my lunch.

Sounds better in English, right? But it sounds a bit emotionless and even unnatural in Japanese. This is one reason why active language in English and passive language in Japanese don’t translate well between each other. 

Conclusion

For those coming from an English-speaking background, it may sound like you need to reengineer your brain a bit to start using passive language more frequently and naturally in conversation. But don’t worry. You will get the hang of it, and conjugating verbs into passive form in Japanese is actually simple once you get a feel for it!

Learning when to use passive voice can be challenging if you are doing it alone! So, we recommend taking Japanese classes with trained instructors at Coto Academy. They will help you develop a feel for how to speak Japanese fluently like a native. As Tokyo and Yokohama’s No. 1 Japanese language school, Coto Academy specializes in helping students speak Japanese confidently from day one.

Why join Coto Academy?

• Small classrooms with only up to 8 students for personalized support
• Professional native Japanese teachers, all trained to help you succeed
• Over 60 different Japanese classes across 18 levels, tailored to your needs
• A fully online Japanese language school so that you can learn anywhere, anytime!

Ready to start your learning journey?

FAQ

Starting to learn Japanese and want to study more grammar? You might be interested in:

• How to Conjugate Te Form in Japanese
• How to Use Potential Verb in Japanese
• Basic Japanese Sentence Pattern

Congratulations! Whether it’s something you’ve achieved or a win for someone you care about, celebrating life’s big and small moments is a universal experience. Acknowledging these moments verbally is just as important. The most common way to say “congratulations” in Japanese is おめでとう (omedetou). But just like in English, there are many other ways to say “well done,” give kudos for someone’s hard work, and share in their good news.

In this guide, we’ll go over the different ways to say congratulations in Japanese, when you can use them, and introduce other similar expressions that can also be used to commemorate someone’s success or good news.

Meaning of “Omedetou” (おめでとう) in Japanese

As we mentioned, the most common and basic way to say “congratulations” in Japanese is by saying, “おめでとうございます (omedetou gozaimasu).” You may have learned おめでとう (omedetou) before, but what does it actually mean?

The phrase is almost always written in hiragana in modern Japanese and is rarely seen in kanji. However, looking at its original kanji form may help reveal its deeper meaning and how it came to represent the feeling of joy and praise we use today.

Historically, omedetou was written as either お目出度う or お芽出度う. Here is a breakdown of each character: 

• お (o): an honorific prefix showing respect or politeness
• 目/芽 (me): means eye or bud, symbolizing something visible or something about to grow
• 出 (de): means to come out, emerge, or appear
• 度 (tou): means degree, extent, or occasion

Together, the expression can be interpreted as “it’s a joyous occasion to see something sprouting or coming to life.”

You can probably tell how its rather poetic origin connects with its current usage of celebrating success or growth, such as someone achieving a goal, reaching a milestone, or beginning a new chapter. Over time, this meaning evolved into the modern sense of “congratulations,” which expresses genuine happiness for someone else’s accomplishment.

How to Use Omedetou in Japanese

Intuitively, you could use omedetou in the same way you would use “congratulations” in English. You can use it whenever you want to praise someone for their recent achievements or positive events, for instance: getting married, giving birth, starting a business, or getting a medical license. 

However, omedetou is arguably more flexible than “congratulations” since you can also use it for celebratory occasions such as birthdays or New Year’s. It turns out that there are a variety of uses for omedetou, and its usage might slightly change depending on the situation. 

Keep in mind that おめでとう (omedetou) is the more casual form. To make it more formal, you add ございます (gozaimasu) after it. This follows the same principle as saying thank you in Japanese: ありがとう (arigatou) is casual, while ありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu) is more polite.

10 Ways to Say Congratulations in Japanese

So, what are all the possible ways you can say congratulations in Japanese? Are there alternatives that are better for certain situations?

1. おめでとう: Omedetou

Omedetou, as mentioned, means “congratulations” or “congrats!” It is common in a more casual context, like with friends and family. The expression is widely applicable to a variety of situations, from celebrating a friend’s success to wishing a happy birthday or holiday. For example, when your friend passes the highly challenging JLPT N2 exam, you can congratulate them by saying: 

日本語能力試験N2合格おめでとう！

Nihongo nouryoku shiken N2 goukaku omedetou!

Congrats on passing the JLPT N2!

You can attach almost any milestone or accomplishment to it, like 結婚おめでとう (kekkon omedetou) for marriage, 合格おめでとう (goukaku omedetou) for passing an exam, or 卒業おめでとう (sotsugyou omedetou) for graduation.

2. おめでとうございます Omedetou Gozaimasu

By adding ございます(gozaimasu) to おめでとう(omedetou), you are making the phrase more formal. Omedetou gozaimasu is commonly used in a work or formal setting where you’re speaking to your boss, colleagues, or clients. For example, if your colleague recently got married, you could congratulate them with this expression. 

ご結婚おめでとうございます。
Gokekkon omedetougozaimasu
Congratulations on your wedding

Read More: Guide to Japanese Weddings and How to Congratulate Newlyweds

3. めでたしめでたし:  Medetashi Medetashi

This is a rather traditional expression that’s not used too often today, but can be a fun and sincere way to express your happiness for someone or to congratulate them. The phrase means something like “all is well that ends well” or “happily ever after”. It has a rather poetic tone to it, like something from a folktale. 

Medetashi medetashi has a lyrical ring and jubilant tone, so if you do say it, people will appreciate your joyous nature and knowledge of traditional Japanese expressions. While it’s no longer used very often, you can use this phrase to sincerely congratulate someone on just about any occasion. It can also be used humorously to express congratulations for a pleasant end to something

試験も終わって試験も終わったし、結果も良かったし。めでたしめでたし！
Shiken mo owatte shi、kekka mo yokatta shi. Medetashi medetashi!
The exams are over and the results were good. All is well that ends well!

4. 良かった: Yokatta

“Yokatta” stems from the root adjective 良い (yoi or ii), which means “good” or “well.” 良かった (yokatta) is a familiar expression often used casually to show that you’re glad something went well. Its literal translation is “was good,” but in conversation it often conveys a warmer meaning such as “that’s good to hear” or “I’m happy to hear that.” It’s a friendly, heartfelt expression that’s great to use with close friends.

仕事が決まったんだって？よかったね！
Shigoto ga kimattan datte? Yokatta ne!
You got the job? That’s awesome!

Did you know you can say yokatta for “you’re welcome in Japanese”. Read our blog for 11 ways to say you’re welcome in Japanese. 

5. やったね: Yatta ne

Yatta ne is the warm and spontaneous “you did it!” or “well done”, that you blurt out when you’re proud of someone. Compared to omodetou, which is polite and celebratory, “yatta ne” is more casual, warm, and meant to highlight someone’s accomplishments. So, you would say it after someone achieved something like graduation rather than at weddings or birthdays.

The word やった (yatta) is the past tense of the verb やる (yaru), meaning “to do” or “to accomplish.” When said with excitement, it expresses joy, relief, or triumph, similar to shouting “Yes!” or “Woohoo!” in English. Adding ね (ne) at the end softens it slightly, making it sound friendly and affirming, like “You did it!” or “That’s great, huh!”

テストに合格したの？やったね！
Tesuto ni goukaku shita no? Yatta ne!
You passed the test? That’s awesome!

6. お祝い申し上げます: Oiwa Moushi Agemasu

This is a very formal way of saying congratulations since it uses keigo, or the formal Japanese language. This expression is often reserved for writing in formal letters or emails to someone you want to congratulate. The character 祝 (shuku) or お祝い (oiwai) means celebration or congratulations, and 申し上げます (moushi agemasu) is the keigo conjugation for “to give” or “to offer”.

So, the phrase means “I offer my congratulations”. This expression is common in business writing or formal emails when you want to congratulate a client or even a colleague. 

ご入学にあたり、お祝いの言葉を申し上げます
Gonyuugaku ni atari, oiwai no kotoba o moushiagemasu.
To your enrollment celebration, I offer my congratulations.

7. お幸せに: Oshiawase Ni

The expression closely translates to “wishing you happiness”, more literally “to your happiness”, with the term 幸せ (shiawase) meaning “happiness” and に (ni) meaning “to”. You often say it for weddings or engagements to wish the bride/groom a life of happiness. 

いつまでもお幸せに！
Itsu made mo oshiawase ni!
Wishing you happiness forever!

8. 素晴らしい Subarashii

素晴らしい (subarashii) means “wonderful” or “amazing” and can be used as a congratulatory remark to someone’s incredible achievements. You can use subrashii to express your genuine admiration, delight, or praise for someone who just accomplished something grand or difficult. You can say “subarashii” alone as a heartfelt “congratulations” in response to someone’s success or good news.

すばらしいニュースですね！
Subarashii nyuusu desu ne!
That’s wonderful news!

9. すごい: Sugoi

Sugoi is one of the most versatile words in Japanese, as you can use it to express surprise, excitement, delight, disgust, and, of course, admiration for someone’s achievements. It’s somewhat similar to saying “wow” which can also be used in a wide variety of contexts. So in the context of using “sugoi” to praise someone, it would be similar to saying “that’s amazing” or “that’s awesome”. The expression is warm and casual, giving a feeling of closeness. 

昇進おめでとう！ すごいじゃん！
Shoushin omedetou! Sugoi jan!
“Congrats on the promotion! That’s awesome!”

10. お疲れ様でした: Otsukaresama Deshita

Otsukare sama desu or otsukaresama deshita (past tense) is a staple phrase in the Japanese workplace. Generally, it is used to express your appreciation for your colleague’s hard work and as a way of maintaining good Japanese business manners. However, otsukare sama is actually quite flexible and can even be used to congratulate someone. 

For instance, if you want to congratulate a colleague for their success on a project, you can say otsukaresamadeshita to express your admiration of their hard work. 

発表お疲れ様でした！
Happyou otsukaresama deshita!
Great job on your presentation!

Different Situations for Using Omedetou

There are many ways to say “congratulations” in Japanese, but the phrase omedetou is quite flexible and can be used in a variety of situations. Below are a few common occasions when you can say “omedetou!”

Omedetou for Getting to the End! What to Keep in Mind

おめでとう (omedetou) is one of the most versatile and useful expressions for saying “congratulations” or simply expressing joy for good news in Japanese. However, it’s not the only way to celebrate someone’s success or milestone. Japanese has a rich variety of expressions you can use depending on your relationship with the person and the level of formality you want to convey.

To truly understand when and how to use omedetou and other natural Japanese phrases in real-life conversations, we recommend taking lessons with experienced Japanese teachers who can help you sound confident and natural in everyday situations.

Why not join fun, conversation-focused lessons at Coto Academy? As Tokyo and Yokohama’s No. 1 Japanese language school, Coto Academy specializes in helping students speak Japanese confidently from day one.

Why join Coto Academy?

• Small classrooms with only up to 8 students for personalized support
• Professional native Japanese teachers, all trained to help you succeed
• Over 60 different Japanese classes across 18 levels, tailored to your needs
• A fully online Japanese language school, so you can learn anywhere, anytime!

Ready to start your learning journey?

FAQ