What's with "Gokigenyou"?

[NoSanninWa]

Something that I find weird about MariMite is that all the girls seem to great each other with "gokigenyou." I can recall ever having heard this greeting anywhere else. Can somone tell me why they use this phrase at St. Lillians and how it differs from the more common greetings?

[gokigenyou]

Something that I find weird about MariMite is that all the girls seem to great each other with "gokigenyou." I can recall ever having heard this greeting anywhere else. Can somone tell me why they use this phrase at St. Lillians and how it differs from the more common greetings?


"Gokigenyou" can mean both "hello" AND "farewell" or "good-bye". It is very formal, and is hence appropriate for the setting of Lillian Jogakuen, a very exclusive school for girls.

-gokigenyou

[kj1980]

"Gokigenyou" can mean both "hello" AND "farewell" or "good-bye". It is very formal, and is hence appropriate for the setting of Lillian Jogakuen, a very exclusive school for girls.

-gokigenyou

Also, it is not restricted to any specific time of day, so it can also mean "good morning," "good afternoon," and "good evening."

As the previous poster said, it is very formal - somewhere along the lines of "How are you doing this fine morning/day/evening" and "I bid you a farewell [for a short time being]"


When Kanina Shizuka-sama (Rosa Canina) leaves for Italy, she does not say "sayonara" (good-bye) - she says "gokigenyou" (I bid you a farewell [for a short time being)

[Windpaths]

And it is a colloquial greeting as "hello" around areas like Kyoto and Osaka. (Girls in Kyoto also call themselves "uchi" rather than "watashi".)

[laurore31]

but it's not only said in Marimite. but in Utena and onii-sama too, ne ?

it's the polished way to greet somebody, i think. in ordinary school, the people great each others by " hello !!! " lol

[raphaël]

That's why i just thought "Good day" feels perfect in english. I don't think everyone here says "Good day" so often. Do you?
Are you australian? :D " 'day!'day..."


And from now on you can call me the mad digger. :cool:
bwahaha

Sue me. :heh:

[Noriko]

Yeah, Gokigenyou is quite formal ... old people still use it in everyday life when they greet each others but usually won't use it when addressing younger people, as they might feel it is unusual for the new generation.

Now that I think about it, we can still use it when for example when we have a job in the tourism sector, and you are addressing customers. For example, if you are a hostess in an airplane and you make an announcement on the micro to welcome the customers... but I think they turn it more "gokigen ikaga desu ka" than jus gokigenyou... I don't remember well..


PS: I think we can hear it also in the new show "Ouran Koukou Host Club" in the background, said by no-named girls chatting far, far away... For those who don't watch the show, it takes place in an elite school for ultra-rich people... like they said, to attend this academy, first thing is "pedigree", second is "wealth" ! you can picture the context..

[niwasatou]

There also was some Gokigenyou in Mai Otome if I remember right. :)

[jyousuton]

Japan. Real "Gokigenyou" Catholic school for girls.

joseph Academy:聖ヨゼフ学園
http://www.st-joseph.ac.jp/j1/index.html

Greeting of this school "Gokigenyou"
"本校の朝は「ごきげんよう」の挨拶で始まります"
http://www.st-joseph.ac.jp/j1/B_message.htm

There is "White lily Club" "Shira Yuri Kai" "白百合会" in this school.

It actually exists ･･･;)

[dxanato]

There also was some Gokigenyou in Mai Otome if I remember right. :)

_
I think you are right I do believe I hear there aswell. I also heard it in Rahxephon and Kannduki no miko both use for fairly short scene.

[BigPrime]

It also pops up in Utakata, where the girls attend a very formal private school (they actually gently chide one of their friends for using it out of school during the summer because it's so formal and they're just going to the beach).

[Yazakura]

It also appears several times in Bakuretsu Tenshi, when Megumi complains for a third of the episode about "gokigenyou" being said in the hallways.

Is there a more polite form of gokigenyou that is used between friends or is it just gokigenyou?

Thanks much in advance for answering my question!

[Bubsy]

Well, from what it sounds like, and I'm not an expert in Japanese culture, natch....

The term is either a way of showing respect to whom you are greeting by sounding formal, OR it's mostly used by rich kids who act snobbish. Proper way to greet a rich kid in my neighborhood was to firmly grasp their collar, and say in a clear voice.... "School tax, richy. Cough up." Then proceed to stuff them in a locker.

I come from a slightly rougher neighborhood than Lillian Academy is used to. Also the student council didn't run the school. The tough kids did.