挨拶（あいさつ、aisatsu）
- greeting

The Japanese word 挨拶 挨拶 (あいさつ) primarily means "greeting," "salutation," or "to greet." It encompasses a wide range of social interactions involving acknowledging others, showing respect, and initiating or concluding conversations. It's more than just saying "hello" or "goodbye"; it's a fundamental part of Japanese social etiquette and can involve various forms of acknowledgment and communication.

⚫︎ おはようございます。 Translation: Good morning. ⚫︎ 田中さんに挨拶します。 Translation: I'll greet Mr. Tanaka. ⚫︎ 挨拶を交わす。 Translation: To exchange greetings.

⚫︎ 挨拶 is used in various contexts. It's essential when meeting someone, leaving, or acknowledging someone's presence. ⚫︎ It can also be used to express thanks, congratulations, or condolences. ⚫︎ The specific form of 挨拶 varies depending on the time of day, the relationship with the person being greeted, and the formality of the situation.

⚫︎ The word 挨拶 is typically written using the kanji 挨拶 or hiragana あいさつ. ⚫︎ The okurigana (送りがな) - the hiragana suffix - is always "つ" (tsu). ⚫︎ The katakana version アイサツ is rarely used and is mainly for emphasis or when using a foreign word.

⚫︎ 礼 (rei): respect, courtesy ⚫︎ 敬意 (keii): respect, honor ⚫︎ お辞儀 (ojigi): bow (as a form of greeting) ⚫︎ ご挨拶 (goaisatsu): formal greeting (often used to refer to the act of giving a speech or making a formal greeting) ⚫︎ お目にかかる (ome ni kakaru): to meet (used to start a formal greeting)

There aren't direct antonyms for 挨拶, as it represents a positive social action. However, ignoring someone or failing to acknowledge them could be considered the opposite of making a 挨拶.

毎朝、先生に挨拶をするのは大切です。 ・Translation: It is important to greet the teacher every morning. ・Explanation: This sentence highlights the importance of regularly performing the act of 挨拶 (greeting) to the teacher.

初めて会う人には、きちんと挨拶をしましょう。 ・Translation: Let's properly greet people we meet for the first time. ・Explanation: This emphasizes the significance of giving a proper 挨拶 when meeting someone new.

The word 挨拶 comes from the Chinese characters 挨 (ai), which means "to approach" or "to come near," and 拶 (satsu), which means "to press close" or "to urge." Together, these characters suggest the idea of approaching someone in a friendly manner and interacting with them.