あばよ

Japanese

Etymology

Contraction of phrase さらばよ (saraba yo, “farewell, goodbye”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) あ​ばよ [áꜜbàyò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [a̠ba̠jo̞]

Interjection

あばよ • (abayo) 

1. a casual parting expression: tata, cheerio, so long

Usage notes

The term abayo may come across as somewhat archaic or stilted.

Synonyms

• バイバイ (baibai)
• では (de wa)
• じゃあ (jā)
• さらば (saraba)
• さようなら (sayōnara)
• 失礼(しつれい)します (shitsurei shimasu)
• それでは (sore de wa)

References

• Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN