さようなら
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goodbye, farewell
/sajoːnaɾa/
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A common farewell said when parting, evolving from an older phrase meaning ‘if it is so’, and now used in everyday goodbyes.
Examples
彼女は出国前に家族にさようならを告げた。
She bid goodbye to her family before leaving the country.
映画が終わり、観客は静かにさようならした。
When the movie ended, the audience quietly said goodbye.
遠くへ行くときはさようならを言うべきだ。
You should say goodbye when you go far away.
駅で友達にさようならを手を振って別れた。
He waved goodbye to his friend at the station.
別れの挨拶としてさようならを使うのは礼儀正しい。
Using goodbye as a parting greeting is polite.
Similar words
さよなら
ごきげんよう
じゃあね
バイバイ
また会いましょう
お別れ
またね
お疲れ様です
Meanings
Examples
彼は笑顔でさようならと言った。
He said goodbye with a smile.
駅で友達にさようならを手を振って別れた。
He waved goodbye to his friend at the station.
長い旅の終わりに、みんながさようならを交わした。
At the end of the long journey, everyone exchanged goodbyes.
映画が終わり、観客は静かにさようならした。
When the movie ended, the audience quietly said goodbye.
別れの挨拶としてさようならを使うのは礼儀正しい。
Using goodbye as a parting greeting is polite.
彼女は出国前に家族にさようならを告げた。
She bid goodbye to her family before leaving the country.
遠くへ行くときはさようならを言うべきだ。
You should say goodbye when you go far away.
Similar words
バイバイ
またね
お別れ
さよなら
ごきげんよう
お疲れ様です
じゃあね
また会いましょう
Etymology
From the older expression そうであるならば, which contracted to さらば and later to さようなら.
FAQ
さようなら means “goodbye” or “farewell” in Japanese.
When should I use さようなら instead of バイバイ?
Use さようなら for more formal or longer separations, while バイバイ is suitable for casual, short‑term goodbyes.
Is さようなら formal or informal?
さようなら is considered a neutral‑to‑formal farewell, appropriate in most situations except very casual ones.
Can I say さようなら to close friends?
You can, but many friends prefer the informal バイバイ or またね for everyday partings.
What is the origin of さようなら?
It derives from the older phrase そうであるならば, which contracted over time to さようなら.
It is pronounced /sajoːnaɾa/.
Is there a more polite version of さようなら?
Adding お as in おさようなら can sound more polite, though the plain form is already respectful.
Does さようなら imply a permanent goodbye?
Not necessarily; it can be used for both temporary and permanent partings, though context often suggests the tone.
How does さようなら differ from またね?
さようなら is a general farewell, while またね specifically means “see you later” and expects a future meeting.
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