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Home » Asia » Why do Japanese say Moshi Moshi twice?

Why do Japanese say Moshi Moshi twice?

December 14, 2021 by Trevor Zboncak

‘Moshi Moshi’ is an abbreviation of ‘Mosu Mosu’ (the Japanese verb ‘to speak’).Ghosts have a long history in Japanese culture – they are called 妖怪 (youkai). According to the historian, saying ‘Moshi Moshi’ twice was the way to prove you were not a ghost. Apparently ghosts can only say ‘Moshi’ once!

Contents

What’s Moshi Moshi mean?

“Moshi Moshi” as “Hello”
You’ve likely heard moshi moshi before, the expression used by Japanese people when they pick up the phone. The word moshi is derived from the verb “to say” in humble Japanese: ( 申 もう す).

What does Mashi Mashi mean in Japanese?

It is actually a contraction/doubling of the word 申す mousu, which is the humble form of 言う iu – “say”. So “moshi moshi ” is really a polite, humble way of saying “speaking, speaking” or “I say, I say”. Moshi moshi is not only used on the telephone. It can also be used to call someone’s attention in person.

How do you reply to Moshi Moshi?

A professional way to answer the phone is: hai, はい、○○でございます (○○ de gozaimasu), “This is XX.” Or: お電話ありがとうございます (o-denwa arigatō gozaimasu), “Thank you for calling.” To ask someone to please hold, you can say: ちょっと待ってください (chotto matte kudasai), or more honorifically in keigo: 少々お待ちくださいませ (shōshō o-machi kudasaimase).

How do the Japanese answer the phone?

Answering the phone. When answering a personal call on your own phone, the standard way to answer the phone is simply, 「もしもし」 (moshi moshi) which is the equivalent of the English “Hello”. However, moshi moshi is not appropriate if you are answering a business call.

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Do Japanese people actually say Moshi Moshi?

If you’re receiving a call from family or friends, moshi moshi is the way to go. But never use it in business situations. It’s considered rude because it’s a shortened phrase. Younger Japanese people don’t always know not to use “moshi moshi” in formal telephone calls (Honestly.

What does Ara Ara mean?

Overall, ara ara is used to express mild surprise, and is an exclamation similar to, “oh dear,” “my my,” “oh me oh my,” or simply, “oh my!” in English.Typically, ara ara is used by a female character in anime or manga as a flirty or teasing exclamation to express her sexual intentions toward a younger man.

What is Arigato in Japan?

In Japan, arigato is a simple way of saying “thank you” among familiars or peers. Politeness is highly valued in Japanese culture, so be mindful that there are more formal ways to say “thank you” to superiors or elders (e.g., arigato gozaimasu, which is a more polite way of saying thanks).

What is Daijoubu desu ka?

daijoubu desu = i’m fine, i’m alright, it’s ok.. ( you reply back to someone or that someone asking you) daijoubu desu ka? = are you alright?, are you okay? (

Do Japanese Add SAN to first or last name?

As a rule of thumb, in Japanese business life, the surname name is always followed by the honorific suffix “san” (meaning “dear” or actually “honorable Mr/Ms.”). There are of course many other options such as “sama” (highly revered customer or company manager) or “sensei” (Dr. or professor).

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What desu means?

to be
Desu is a polite Japanese linking verb meaning “to be” as well other forms of the verb. Western fans of anime and manga sometimes add it to the end of sentences to sound cute and imitate Japanese.

What’s the difference between Moshi Moshi and konichiwa?

Regardless of whether you are the caller or the person being called, you answer the phone with “moshi moshi.” Note: This phrase is much more appropriate to use for phone conversations than konnichiwa. You should not use moshi moshi to say hello in person unless you are being sarcastic.

What is konnichiwa in Japan?

Konnichiwa (こんにちは) is a Japanese greeting, typically a mid-day to early evening greeting (10:00 AM to 5:59 PM). It is also used as an informal greeting, “hello”. With kanji, Konnichiwa is written as 今日は. When Konnichiwa is romanized directly from the hiragana, a mistake can occur.

What do you reply to konichiwa?

  • HD. Harini. 20 Apr. Response to konichiwa is konichiwa. Reply for arigato is douitashimashite(どういたしまして) 0 Comments.
  • KV. Kaustubh. 17 Jan. response to konnnichiwa is konnichiwa only , you will say DOUITASHIMASHITE = (you’re) welcome. 0 Comments.

What is your name in Japanese?

Onamae is “your name” or “the name,” and Anata is “you” or “your.” So, you can say: Anata no onamae wa? Let’s try it. Anata no onamae wa?

Can Kitsune say Moshi?

Kitsune – Foxes can’t speak Moshi Moshi
According to folklore, foxes cannot speak words completely, giving rise to the habit of speaking twice moshi. Another story is that ghosts can’t tell moshi twice, so that expression was used twice to scare ghosts or yokai to answer the phone.

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How do you say goodnight in Japanese?

Oyasumi
Generally, the Japanese expression for saying “goodnight” is “おやすみ“(Oyasumi).

What Yare Yare means?

If you already watched or read JoJo’s Bizzarre Adventure in Japanese, you would know the iconic phrase by Jotaro Kujo: “やれやれ” -pronounced “Yare Yare”. The phrase is trasnlated to intrepretations such as “well well”, “good grief” and “give me a break.” It is a common expression in Japan used to show disappointment.

How do you say oi in Japanese?

O. Oi – オイ – This is a highly informal way in the Japanese culture to get someone’s attention. A lot like the English version of, “Hey!” – But even less polite.

What is daisuki in English?

Daisuki (大好き / だいすき) means ‘really like‘ or ‘like a lot’. The kanji 大 (dai) means big. And 好き (suki) means like, as we already saw above. So daisuki literally means ‘big like’…

Is it rude to say domo?

‘ meaning “Thank you” to you, you can say ‘Domo.” as the reply. Please note that some people consider ‘Domo. ‘ is a little bit rude. It would be better to use ‘Arigato.

Filed Under: Asia

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About Trevor Zboncak

Trevor Zboncak is a bit of an old grump, but he's also one of the kindest people you'll ever meet. He loves to travel and see new places, but he's not a fan of airports or long flights. Trevor has been all over the world, and he has some amazing stories to tell. He's also a great photographer, and his pictures will take your breath away.

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