お大事に

• Reading: おだいじに
• Romaji: odaiji ni
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (big/great) + 事 (matter/thing) → important matter. お is an honorific prefix, に indicates manner
• Pronunciation: /o.da.i.dʑi.ni/

Meaning

A caring expression meaning 'take care of yourself' or 'get well soon,' said to someone who is sick or unwell.

お大事に is the standard phrase of concern for someone's health in Japanese. It is used when someone is ill, injured, leaving a doctor's office, or even just has a cold. While polite, it is warm rather than formal, and is used freely across all social levels. The full form お大事にしてください is more polite, while お大事に alone is the comfortable default for most situations.

Examples

1. 風邪？お大事にね、無理しないで。 A cold? Take care of yourself, don't push it.
2. 今日は早退するんだ。お大事に、ゆっくり休んで。 You're leaving early today? Take care, get some rest.
3. お大事に！暖かくして寝てね。 Get well soon! Stay warm and get some sleep.

Usage Guide

Context: when someone is sick, leaving a clinic, texting, workplace

Tone: caring, warm

Do Say

• お大事にね、何か必要だったら言って (Take care, let me know if you need anything)
• 熱あるの？お大事に、今日は休んだほうがいいよ (You have a fever? Take care, you should rest today)

Don't Say

• 元気な人に「お大事に」は変 — 病気やケガの人にだけ使う (Saying お大事に to a healthy person is odd — use it only for sick or injured people)

Common Mistakes

• Using お大事に as a general farewell — it specifically implies the person is unwell
• Forgetting to say it when a coworker mentions they are sick — it is socially expected

Origin & History

From 大事 (important/serious matter) with the honorific お prefix, literally 'treat [your health] as an important matter.' A longstanding expression of concern in Japanese culture where showing care for others' wellbeing is a core social value.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional, longstanding expression

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used nationwide. Doctors and pharmacists routinely say this to patients. One of the most important set phrases for showing empathy in Japanese.