{"id":83713,"date":"2021-08-24T22:36:53","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T13:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=83713"},"modified":"2022-07-22T17:21:01","modified_gmt":"2022-07-22T08:21:01","slug":"moshi-moshi-phone-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/moshi-moshi-phone-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"Moshi Moshi! How to Answer the Phone in Japanese"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Just as with face-to-face interactions, standard telephone exchanges in Japan follow a formal code of politeness. This is when you will most often hear keigo<\/em> (\u656c\u8a9e), the formal honorific mode of the Japanese language. Telephone conversations also reflect the importance of belonging to one\u2019s social group or company. But where exactly does the iconic \u201cmoshi moshi\u201d<\/em> used in Japanese to answer the phone come from? Here are a few helpful expressions for making a phone call in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The typical greeting when answering the phone is \u3082\u3057\u3082\u3057 (moshi moshi)<\/em>, used to initiate the dialogue. The expression comes from \u7533\u3057\u307e\u3059 (m\u014dshimasu)<\/em><\/strong>, a polite form of the verb m\u014dsu<\/em>, to say. While it translates literally to \u201cI\u2019m about to speak\u201d, the implication is more akin to \u201cHello, can you hear me?\u201d Basically, moshi moshi<\/em> is a request for confirmation that the connection has been established<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Do Japanese People Say \u201cmoshi moshi\u201d When They Answer the Phone?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n