申し申し

Japanese

Etymology

/mauɕi mauɕi/ > /moːɕi moːɕi/

Derives from the verb 申す (mōsu), a humble term meaning "to speak". Mōshi mōshi literally means "speaking speaking", and was used in the first telephone experiment in Japan, quite similar to the English "checking, checking" or "testing, testing" used when testing audio equipment. In modern parlance, it is used more like English "hello", only just on the telephone, or figuratively when trying to get through to someone.

Interjection

申し申し (hiragana もうしもうし, romaji mōshi mōshi, historical hiragana まうしまうし)

1. A common Japanese telephone greeting: hello; a common greeting used when answering the telephone.

   (電話で) もしもし。こちらは、山田エージェンシーです。ご用件は？

   (でんわで) もしもし。こちらはやまだエージェンシーです。ごようけん は？
   (Denwa de) Moshi moshi. Kochira wa Yamada ējensī desu. Goyōken wa?

   (on the phone) Hello. This is Yamada Agency. May I help you?

2. Used to confirm that the person being addressed is listening, or to confirm if anyone is listening.

See also

• もしもし (moshi moshi)