Written by Ellie Elizabeth
The Kansai area of Japan (also called the Kinki region) consists of the seven prefectures Hyogo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, Mie and Wakayama. Unlike Standard Japanese (hyōjungo), here the locals speak Kansai-ben, also known as Kansai dialect.
When travelling Japan I love to try to speak in Japanese because it’s such a rewarding experience connecting with the locals. With this guide you will be able to use simple Kansai-ben phrases across your Kansai travels!
Key Takeaways
- Japanese spoken in Tokyo is the standard dialect and is what foreign language learners are usually taught
- Kansai-ben the dialect spoken throughout the Kansai region of Japan
- Using the phrases below will never go unappreciated by people of Kansai
Standard Japanese vs Kansai-ben
Standard Japanese
Hyōjungo, known as Standard Japanese in English, is the dialect of Japan’s capital Tokyo and spoken largely by the Japanese population. This is the type of Japanese you’ll hear the most in Japanese media like anime, music as well as when you’re spoken to. It’s also probably the form of Japanese you’re most likely to use as a tourist.
Kansai-ben
If you have any knowledge of Japanese, or simply have a keen ear, you may notice on your Kansai travels that the language sounds different. This is because the people of Kansai speak the widely renowned Kansai-ben, or Kansai dialect. Here are two simple examples of differences between Kansai-ben and Standard Japanese.
Sentence Endings
When ending a casual sentence in Japanese we use da, but in Kansai-ben this is exchanged for ya.
English: I’m English
Standard Japanese: Igirisu jin da
Kansai-ben: Igirisu jin ya
Negative Verb Endings
Japanese negative verb endings finish with nai, however in Kansai this becomes hen.
English: I don’t understand
Standard Japanese: wakaranai
Kansai-ben: wakarahen
Why Speaking Kansai-ben is Fun
Going to another country and trying to speak to the natives in their languages is one of the main highlights of travelling.
Kansai people are already so full of energy and welcoming that I’ve personally found it a wonderful experience to drop some Kansai-ben in conversation. Being able to connect with locals and Japanese culture is such a rewarding experience, and will lead to an even more fulfilling vacation.
When you use Kansai-ben, you’ll usually be met with a happily surprised face and a nihongo jōzu (your Japanese is good) or kansai-ben shitteru?! (you know Kansai-ben?!). Speaking in Kansai-ben is an activity I completely encourage to increase the max enjoyment of your Japan trip so without further ado, here are some simple phrases for you to draw upon.
Some simple Kansai-ben phrases!
ookini おおきに
Standard Japanese: Arigatō
English: Thank You
When you buy something in a shop, instead of saying arigatō, you could drop ookini!
maido まいど
Standard Japanese: Konnichiwa
English: Hello
This phrase is usually used by shop owners when greeting customers.
chau ちゃう
Standard Japanese: Chigau
English: No / Not quite
If you’re asked kore? (this one?) and it’s not quite what you wanted, you can reply with chau or chau chau.
Here’s also a famous Kansai tongue twister where two people debate whether a dog they see is a Chow Chow. Give it a try!
Are chau chau?
Chau chau, are wa chau chau chau n chau?
akan あかん
Standard Japanese: Dame
English: Bad / Don’t do it
This word you probably won’t use as much but is a Kansai-ben staple amongst residents. You might hear people saying akan (you can’t do that) or ano resutoran wa akan (that restaurant is bad).
honma ni ほんまに
Standard Japanese: Hontō ni
English: Really / Seriously
If someone says something you’re unsure about or what to question the validity of you could say honma ni?
umai うまい
Standard Japanese: Oishii
English: Delicious
When you eat something good and want to express it you can say umai (delicious)!
meccha めっちゃ
Standard Japanese: Totemo
English: Very
If you have a super tasty meal and want to double your Kansai-ben points you could tell the staff meccha umai (very delicious)!
nanbo なんぼ
Standard Japanese: Ikura
English: How much is it?
Instead of asking ikura when wanting to know the price, you could ask nanbo?
nandeyanen なんでやねん
Standard Japanese: There isn’t one!
English: What are you doing? / What are you on about?
Nandeyanen is probably the most iconic phrase in Kansai-ben with a plethora of uses. For example, if someone says something silly or hilarious you can reply with nandeyanen (what are you on about!).
If this guide has piqued your interest in delving deeper into the world of Kansai-ben, I recommend watching the below YouTube video by Japanese Ammo with Misa. In this video she goes into great detail about Kansai-ben vs Standard Japanese, pronunciation and different other examples!
FAQs: Fun Kansai Dialect Phrases for Tourists!
Kansai is located in the western part of Japan’s main island and is made of the seven prefectures Hyogo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, Mie and Wakayama.
Kansai-ben is the dialect spoken in the Kansai area of Japan.
Kansai-ben both sounds different and has words different from Standard Japanese. For example, negative verb endings finish with hen instead of nai.
Trying to speak the local dialect is a great way to experience Japanese culture first-hand and bond with locals.
Nandeyanen is the most famous phrase in Kansai-ben. It essentially means what are you doing? Or what are you on about? It is used in particularly humorous scenarios amongst friends and family.
