おやすー

• Reading: おやすー
• Romaji: oyasuu
• Pronunciation: /o.ja.sɯː/

Meaning

A casual, abbreviated way to say goodnight, shortened from おやすみ.

おやすー chops おやすみ even further and adds the elongation mark ー for a sleepy, relaxed feel. It is commonly used in late-night LINE chats and social media posts before bed. The tone is warm and intimate, typically used between close friends or romantic partners.

Examples

1. もう眠いからおやすー。 I'm sleepy already, so g'night.
2. おやすー、また明日ね！ Night night, see you tomorrow!
3. 今日楽しかった、おやすー。 Had fun today, g'night.

Usage Guide

Context: texting, close friends, social media, late-night chat

Tone: sleepy, intimate, warm

Do Say

• じゃあおやすー、明日早いんだ (Well, g'night, I've got an early morning)
• おやすー💤 (Night night 💤)

Don't Say

• 目上の人や初対面の人に「おやすー」は使わない — 「おやすみなさい」を使う (Don't use おやすー with seniors or people you just met — use おやすみなさい)

Common Mistakes

• Using おやすー in situations where おやすみ or おやすみなさい would be more appropriate
• Not realising how intimate this abbreviation sounds — it implies closeness

Origin & History

Truncated from おやすみ (oyasumi), the standard goodnight greeting derived from 休む (yasumu, to rest). The ー elongation adds a laid-back, sleepy tone. Popular in texting culture since the 2000s.

Cultural Context

Era: 2000s-2010s texting culture

Generation: 10s-30s

Social background: Youth/casual

Regional notes: Used nationwide in casual digital communication. Particularly common among younger speakers in LINE and Twitter.