良(よ)いお年(とし)を

よいおとしを

expression

have a good New Year (said before the year ends)

politegreeting culture

1. have a good New Year (parting greeting in the last days of December)

Short for 良(よ)いお年(とし)をお迎(むか)えください, 'may you greet a good new year.' Said in the last days of December when parting from someone you will not see again until after January 1; from New Year's Day onward the greeting changes to 明(あ)けましておめでとうございます.

それでは、良(よ)いお年(とし)を。

Well then, have a good New Year.

「今年(ことし)もお世話(せわ)になりました。良(よ)いお年(とし)を」「良(よ)いお年(とし)を」

'Thank you for everything this year. Have a good New Year.' 'You too.'

十二月(じゅうにがつ)三十日(さんじゅうにち)、仕事(しごと)納(おさ)めの日(ひ)に同僚(どうりょう)たちと「良(よ)いお年(とし)を」と言(い)い合(あ)って別(わか)れた。

On December 30, the last working day of the year, my colleagues and I parted with wishes for a good New Year.

Usage

Used from about the middle of December until December 31, as a goodbye
The reply is the same phrase, or 良(よ)いお年(とし)をお迎(むか)えください
Once the year has turned, say 明(あ)けましておめでとうございます instead

Common patterns

良(よ)いお年(とし)をお迎(むか)えください: the full, polite form
今年(ことし)もお世話(せわ)になりました。良(よ)いお年(とし)を: the usual year-end farewell to colleagues and clients

Writing

Also written よいお年(とし)を and 良(よ)い年(とし)を.

Related words

明(あ)けましておめでとうございます: happy New Year (from January 1)
年末(ねんまつ): year end

Related Words

Related: 明(あ)けましておめでとうございます (happy New Year)

Related: 年末(ねんまつ) (year end)

general

Added 2026.9.10 0:51 · Revised 2026.9.10 0:54

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