おやすみー

• Reading: おやすみー
• Romaji: oyasumii
• Pronunciation: /o.ja.sɯ.miː/

Meaning

A casual, drawn-out way of saying 'good night' in texts, adding a friendly and relaxed feeling.

おやすみー is the texting-friendly version of おやすみ (oyasumi, good night) with a lengthened final vowel indicated by ー. This elongation adds a relaxed, affectionate tone that's common in LINE messages and late-night chats. It feels warmer and more personal than a plain おやすみ, making it the default good-night message among close friends.

Examples

1. もう寝るね、おやすみー！ I'm gonna sleep now, night!
2. おやすみー、また明日ね。 Night~ see you tomorrow.
3. 今日も疲れた〜おやすみー。 I'm so tired today~ night!

Usage Guide

Context: texting, friends, LINE, late-night chat

Tone: warm, relaxed, friendly

Do Say

• おやすみー、いい夢見てね (Good night, have sweet dreams)
• 眠い〜おやすみー！ (I'm sleepy, night!)

Don't Say

• 目上の人に「おやすみー」は軽すぎる (Saying 'oyasumii' to a superior is too casual — use おやすみなさい)

Common Mistakes

• Using the elongated form in formal situations where おやすみなさい is appropriate
• Not recognizing that the ー indicates a friendly, drawn-out tone rather than a different word

Origin & History

おやすみ (good night) comes from the honorific form お休みなさい (oyasumi nasai). The long vowel mark ー became a standard way to express drawn-out, friendly intonation in digital text, widespread since the early days of Japanese mobile email (2000s).

Cultural Context

Era: 2000s mobile email culture

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal casual

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The ー elongation is a core feature of casual Japanese texting style.