Old topic back in the lime light - "Osu"

[Alex Trigo]

I was going through the archived blog entries, since I'm new to the site in general, not just the forums, and I came across one topic that never seemed to have been entirely solved. (Here's the link: http://www.japanesepod101.com/2006/01/1 ... up-to-osu/ ) I apologize if this has been covered already.

"Osu" was mentioned as being used in 空手道場 as a greeting. That may be true, but that by itself is a very limited use of the word. The greeting "オッス" is an informal, colloquial shortening of "おはようございます". Take the beginning "お" and compound it with the final "す" to get "オッス". You'll hear co-workers and classmates, who are on the same level socially, use it on a normal basis.

Also, related to the topic, you'll hear "オヒッス", usually pronounced more as "ウィッス" (like We'sss), which, as you may have already guessed, means, "お久しぶりです".

[Bueller_007]

I was going through the archived blog entries, since I'm new to the site in general, not just the forums, and I came across one topic that never seemed to have been entirely solved. (Here's the link: http://www.japanesepod101.com/2006/01/1 ... up-to-osu/ ) I apologize if this has been covered already.

"Osu" was mentioned as being used in 空手道場 as a greeting. That may be true, but that by itself is a very limited use of the word. The greeting "オッス" is an informal, colloquial shortening of "おはようございます". Take the beginning "お" and compound it with the final "す" to get "オッス". You'll hear co-workers and classmates, who are on the same level socially, use it on a normal basis.

Also, related to the topic, you'll hear "オヒッス", usually pronounced more as "ウィッス" (like We'sss), which, as you may have already guessed, means, "お久しぶりです".

Yeah, it's been brought to a conclusion elsewhere on the forum:
http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/vie ... C%E5%BF%8D

The link on the last post has a pretty good etymology of "osu".

[Shirayuki]

Do you know if women aslo can use OSU or not?
I feel its something only men using, Iam I wrong?
And what would I answer to someone greating me with OSU.

[Bueller_007]

Do you know if women aslo can use OSU or not?
I feel its something only men using, Iam I wrong?
And what would I answer to someone greating me with OSU.

I doubt a woman would ever use it, except for a tomboy.

If someone greets you with "Osu", you respond with "Osu". It's not the kind of word that superiors use to their inferiors, it's more intimate than that. If you respond with "ohayou gozaimasu", you might make them feel like you think your relationship is osu-worthy.

I don't believe that "osu" is used to greet women, so if you're a woman you won't have to worry about it.

[Shirayuki]

actually some japanese boys greets me with OSU, therefore I wondered^^