How to say "congratulations" in Japanese

• 寿ことぶきCommon
  nounA formal word covering congratulations, felicitations and best wishes; it belongs to written greetings and celebratory messages rather than everyday speech, so it is seldom the word you actually say to someone.
• 祝いいわいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA noun for a celebration or festival, and for congratulation as an act; it names the occasion or the celebrating rather than serving as the greeting itself.
  私は彼かれの卒業そつぎょう祝いわいに電報でんぽうを打うった。↗

  I wired him a message of congratulation on his graduation.
• 祝意しゅくいCommon
  nounA formal noun meaning simply congratulations; it appears in written expressions of congratulation rather than in speech, so it is seldom the word you want for everyday spoken congratulations.
• おめでとうございますJLPT N4approx.Common
  expressionThe greeting you say directly to offer congratulations — when someone passes an exam, gets married, or has a birthday; polite (teineigo) language, and usually written in kana alone.
• 祝賀しゅくがJLPT N1approx.Common
  suru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveA noun covering both celebration and congratulations; it fits the formal celebration of an occasion or achievement — a ceremony, an anniversary — rather than the greeting you call out to a friend.

Say 「おめでとうございます」 directly to congratulate someone; 「祝い」 and 祝賀 are nouns for a celebration or the act of congratulating; 寿 and 祝意 are formal written words for felicitations and congratulations.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 寿ことぶきcongratulations
• 祝いいわいcongratulation
• 祝意しゅくいcongratulations
• おめでとうございますcongratulations
• 祝賀しゅくがcelebration
• お祝いおいわいcongratulation
• 喜びよろこびjoy
• 寿ぎことほぎcongratulations
• コングラチュレーションcongratulations
• 祝着しゅうちゃくcongratulations
• コングラチュレーションズcongratulations
• 賀詞がしcongratulations
• 拝賀はいがcongratulations
• おめしゃすcongratulations
• 万丈ばんじょうhurrah!
• お喜びおよろこびhappy event