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The One Million Meanings of Yoroshiku
So, you’ve learned different ways to say "Nice to meet you!" in Japanese. One way to say “nice to meet you” is “yoroshiku onegai shimasu”.
But yoroshiku onegai shimasu isn't just for the first time you meet someone. It has a whole host of different uses.
Let's look at the main different meanings of this magical, multipurpose Japanese word.
1. Yoroshiku means "Please!"…
So, you’ve learned different ways to say "Nice to meet you!" in Japanese. One way to say “nice to meet you” is “yoroshiku onegai shimasu”.
But yoroshiku onegai shimasu isn't just for the first time you meet someone. It has a whole host of different uses.
Let's look at the main different meanings of this magical, multipurpose Japanese word.
1. Yoroshiku means "Please!"
Yoroshiku, as we learned before, can be used when meeting new people, and means "please be kind to me", or "please look favourably upon me":
初めまして。フランです。よろしくお願いします。
"Hajimemashite. Furan desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."
Nice to meet you. I'm Fran. Please look favourably upon me!
2. Yoroshiku means "Thank you!"
As well as please, yoroshiku can mean thank you. Specifically, it can often mean “thank you in advance”. Said when giving someone work to do:
とじまり、よろしくね。
Tojimari, yoroshiku ne.
"I'll leave you to lock up. Thanks."
娘をよろしくお願いします。
Musume o yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
"Thanks in advance for taking care of my daughter."
Shop “Yoroshiku ne” T-shirts:
3. Yoroshiku means "Hi!"
This is one of my favourites. Yoroshiku can mean "regards", like "send my regards to so-and-so", or "say hi to so-and-so", or even "send my love to so-and-so":
お父さんによろしくお伝えください。
O-tou-san ni yoroshiku o tsutae kudasai.
Please send my best regards to your father.
お姉さんによろしくね。
O-nee-san ni yoroshiku ne.
Say hi to your sister for me.
What's your favourite use of yoroshiku? Did I miss any out? Let me know...yoroshiku ne!
Tuesdays, 12:00pm (UK time) | Online Group Course
Starts 5th Jan 2027 | Two 12-week terms (24 weeks)
Is this course right for you?
Sakura is a practical, supportive course for beginners who have already started learning Japanese and want to build a solid foundation.
It's ideal if you want to develop your confidence, learn useful everyday Japanese and start communicating in simple situations.
You should already be able to:
Recognise some hiragana characters, or be actively learning them.
Build on what you've already learned, step by step.
By the end of these two terms, you'll be able to:
Say what you like and dislike.
Order food and drinks in a restaurant.
Ask and answer simple questions about accommodation.
Describe where people and things are located.
Read hiragana with increasing confidence and begin learning katakana.
Start recognising common kanji.
The focus is on practical Japanese you can use in everyday situations, with a step-by-step approach to building your skills and confidence.
Course details
Duration: 24 weeks (two 12-week terms)
Day/time: Tuesdays, 12pm (UK time), 55-minute lessons
Textbook: Irodori: Japanese for Life in Japan - Starter, starting from Lesson 5 (free online)
New to Japanese?
If you are starting from zero, I recommend taking some 1:1 lessons before joining this class. Get in touch to arrange one-to-one lessons.
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Updated 10th August 2021
How Do You Say "Nice to Meet You" in Japanese?
Hurray! You've met another Japanese-speaking person. Time to introduce yourself.
But how do you say "It's really nice to meet you" in Japanese? The first phrase you'll want is:
はじめまして。Hajimemashite. "Nice to meet you"
Hajimemashite literally means "we are meeting for the first time". So you can only use it the first time you meet someone.
Hurray! You've met another Japanese-speaking person. Time to introduce yourself.
But how do you say "Pleased to meet you" in Japanese?
The first phrase you'll want is:
はじめまして。
Hajimemashite.
"Nice to meet you"
Hajimemashite (almost literally) means "we are meeting for the first time". So you can only use it the first time you meet someone.
The other super-useful phrase is:
よろしくおねがいします。
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
"Please be kind to me."
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu is hard to translate, but means something like "please be kind to me".
It means that you are looking forward to having a good relationship with someone.
Shop “Nice To Meet You” Japanese necklaces (Step Up Japanese x designosaur):
Make it more polite
Add douzo to make your greeting more polite:
どうぞよろしくおねがいします。
Douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
"Nice to meet you" (polite & a bit formal)
You could also say:
お会いできてうれしいです。
O-ai dekite ureshii desu.
"I'm happy to meet you." (more polite & formal)
or even:
お会いできて光栄です
O-ai dekite kouei desu.
"I'm honoured to meet you." (even more polite & formal)
Keep it casual
If you don't feel like being so polite, you could also say:
どうぞよろしく。
Douzo yoroshiku.
"Nice to meet you" (a bit more casual)
よろしくね。
Yoroshiku ne.
"Nice to meet you" (very casual)
It's good to be nice-mannered when you meet new people though, right?
"Nice to meet you too!"
Last but not least, when someone says yoroshiku onegaishimasu, you can add the feeling of "me too!" by replying with kochira koso ("me too!"):
こちらこそ宜しくお願いします。
Kochira koso yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
"No, I'm pleased to meet you." / "The pleasure is mine."
Now, go and find someone new to speak to, and tell them how pleased you are to meet them.
Yoroshiku ne!
Shop “Nice To Meet You” Japanese necklaces (Step Up Japanese x designosaur):
Updated 26th Oct 2020
Like many people in the UK, I studied French in school. I liked French. I thought it was really fun to speak another language, to talk with people, and to try and listen to what was going on in a new country. (Still do!)
When I was 14 we went on a school exchange to the city of Reims, in northeastern France. I was paired with a boy, which I’m sure some 14-year-olds would find very exciting but which I found unbearably awkward. He was very sweet and we completely ignored each other.
That was nearly 20 years ago, and I didn’t learn or use any more French until, at some point in lockdown, I decided on a whim to take some one-to-one lessons with online teachers. Here are some things I learned about French, about language learning, and about myself.