Japanese for "Bless you"

[Juando]

Here in the US, whenever somone next to you sneezes you normally respond with "bless you". I'm curious if there is an equivalent to this in Japan? If there is, what is the phrase? Or do you not say anything at all?

[Airth]

Absolutely nothing at all, I'm afraid to say. At least it makes it easy to learn.
On a side note, when I lived in Tokyo it was always one of my pet hates to have someone sneeze incredibly loudly without covering their noses in the middle of a packed train. Urgh.

[JonB]

Absolutely nothing at all, I'm afraid to say. At least it makes it easy to learn.
On a side note, when I lived in Tokyo it was always one of my pet hates to have someone sneeze incredibly loudly without covering their noses in the middle of a packed train. Urgh.

I'm afraid to say that nothing has changed

[Airth]

I'm afraid to say that nothing has changed

I can't say I'm surprised. I understand and accept cultural differences, but it doesn't stop me being disgusted by the lack of common courtesy exhibited by certain Japanese men. Let me see, spitting from the very back of the throat, taking a wizz at the side of the road...

[Bloodborne]

I remember my Japanese teacher mentioning something about this. According to her, there is a phrase and it means something like "Don't sneeze one hundred times or you will die" or something like that (I can't remember the actual phrase). I know that sounds out there, but I'm pretty sure that is what she said. Does anyone know for sure?

[seanolan]

Apparently there is an old children's rhyme about the number of times you sneeze, and I remember one of the teachers I work with, when I was having bad hay fever, telling me about it. She told me, "If you sneeze once, you are thinking about someone. If you sneeze twice, someone is thinking about you. If you sneeze three times, they are talking about you." I jokingly asked, "And four times?" She said to me, deadpan, "Then you have a cold."

Sean

[Bloodborne]

Haha, that's great. I'll have to ask my teacher to clarify next time we meet what I was saying, cause it sounds quite different. It's interesting how all the various cultures have various traditions and superstitions surrounding sneezing.

[ilkercakmak]

I remember one of my Japanese friends saying ODAiCiNi for this purpose. This is normally said when someone is ill but the nearest option is this I think.

[JonB]

way of putting it:

ODAiCiNi

I would go with おだいじに (not 100% sure I got that right) but it really means more like "look after yourself" - something you say to anyone ill rather than specically just a sneeze.

I have just confirmed with the Japanese person sitting next to me that if someone sneezes - "just ignore". I guess this time of year with nearly everyone sneezing and snuffling mainly down to hayfeavor people don't even think about it.

[Ulver_684]

Apparently there is an old children's rhyme about the number of times you sneeze, and I remember one of the teachers I work with, when I was having bad hay fever, telling me about it. She told me, "If you sneeze once, you are thinking about someone. If you sneeze twice, someone is thinking about you. If you sneeze three times, they are talking about you." I jokingly asked, "And four times?" She said to me, deadpan, "Then you have a cold."
Sean

WOW! this is great to know Sean-san!

I knew that when you sneeze someone is thinking of you and it's true! It isn't a old children's rhyme because it has hapeen to me before!

[untmdsprt]

Absolutely nothing at all, I'm afraid to say. At least it makes it easy to learn.

Well good, I won't have to change.