おめでとう

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 誕生日おめでとう！▶ —
   Happy birthday!
2. ご結婚おめでとうございます。▶ —
   Congratulations on your marriage.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Omedetou (おめでとう) is the Japanese congratulations greeting — etymologically from oMedetai (auspicious / felicitous). Casual omedetou, polite omedetou gozaimasu. Cluster: tanjoubi omedetou (happy birthday), gokekkon omedetou (congrats on marriage), goshussan omedetou (on childbirth), gosotsugyou omedetou (on graduation), akemashite omedetou (Happy New Year, Jan 1 only). The polite go- + noun + omedetou gozaimasu pattern is the business / written default. Korean "chukha-hamnida / deuri-mnida" mirrors the register split. Social code: in the first week of January, all encounters must include "akemashite omedetou gozaimasu" — omitting it is a social slight. Same phrase fills nengajou (New Year cards).

Quick check

1. Standard New Year greeting on January 1?

   • Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu
   • Tanjoubi omedetou — birthday
   • Gokekkon omedetou — marriage
   • Arigatou — thanks