さようなら（さようなら、sayounara）
- goodbye

The Japanese word さようなら (sayounara) is most commonly translated as "goodbye". It expresses a sense of parting and is used when you don't expect to see the person you're speaking to for a while, or possibly ever again. It implies a more permanent farewell than other expressions of leave-taking. It's also used to end phone calls or interactions.

⚫︎ さようなら、田中さん。また会う日まで。 Translation: Goodbye, Mr. Tanaka. Until we meet again. ⚫︎ もう行かなければ。さようなら！ Translation: I have to go now. Goodbye!

⚫︎ さようなら is appropriate when you are leaving and won't see the person for a long time. ⚫︎ It is generally used with people you are not particularly close to. ⚫︎ It can sound overly formal in casual situations. ⚫︎ It is commonly used in more formal settings, such as at work or with elders, when taking your leave. ⚫︎ For more casual situations, shorter expressions like じゃあね (jaa ne - see ya) or またね (mata ne - see you) are often preferred.

⚫︎ さようなら is typically written in hiragana. ⚫︎ It's not typically written in katakana. ⚫︎ Kanji is not used for さようなら. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎ またね (mata ne) - See you later (casual) ⚫︎ じゃあね (jaa ne) - See ya (casual) ⚫︎ また明日 (mata ashita) - See you tomorrow ⚫︎ バイバイ (baibai) - Bye bye (loanword, casual) ⚫︎ 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu) - Excuse me (formal, used when leaving a workplace or someone's home)

⚫︎ こんにちは (konnichiwa) - Hello (greeting) ⚫︎ おはようございます (ohayou gozaimasu) - Good morning (greeting) ⚫︎ こんばんは (konbanwa) - Good evening (greeting) ⚫︎ ただいま (tadaima) - I'm home (when returning home)

先生、授業はこれで終わりです。さようなら。 ・Translation: Teacher, the class is over now. Goodbye. ・Explanation: This is a formal way to say goodbye to a teacher.

長い間、お世話になりました。さようなら。 ・Translation: Thank you for everything over a long period of time. Goodbye. ・Explanation: This is a formal goodbye used when leaving a job or after a long period of interaction.

The origin of さようなら is believed to come from the phrase 左様ならば (sayounaraba). The phrase is shortened. 左様 (sayou) means "that way" or "like that", and ならば (naraba) means "if it is so" or "in that case". Thus, the original meaning of さようなら could be roughly translated as "If that is the way it is, then goodbye" or "If that is the situation, goodbye". Over time, it evolved into a general farewell expression.