konnichi

Konnichi is a transliteration of the Japanese word 今日, which in modern Japanese is usually read as kyō and translates as “today” or “this day.” The form kon’nichi (with an apostrophe) or konnichi appears as the on’yomi (Chinese reading) of 今日 and occurs primarily in formal, historical, or compound contexts rather than in everyday speech.

Outside of academic or literary usage, people most commonly use kyō or 今日 to refer to the current day. The most widely recognized instance that includes kon'nichi is the greeting こんにちは (konnichiwa). This greeting is commonly described as a contraction of a longer phrase using 今日 and a topic marker, effectively forming a standard hello in the daytime. In contemporary Japanese, the standalone kon’nichi is rarely used in casual conversation.

Romanization notes: in English-language linguistic or dictionary entries, kon'nichi or konnichi may be used to represent the same moraic sequence, with or without an apostrophe to indicate the boundary between kon and nichi. Spelling variations can be found across sources, reflecting different transliteration conventions. The term also appears in studies of Japanese orthography and historical greetings, where its usage helps explain the development of こんにちは.