Polite to Stranger
Cultural · Greeting
喜寿のお祝い、誠におめでとうございます。これからもどうぞお健やかにお過ごしくださいませ。 — Hearty congratulations on your 77th birthday celebration. Please continue to enjoy good health. (Cultural · Greeting, Polite to Stranger, JLPT N2)
You
喜寿のお祝い、誠におめでとうございます。これからもどうぞお健やかにお過ごしくださいませ。
きじゅのおいわい、まことにおめでとうございます。これからもどうぞおすこやかにおすごしくださいませ。
Hearty congratulations on your 77th birthday celebration. Please continue to enjoy good health.
Romaji: Kiju no oiwai, makoto ni omedetou gozaimasu. Korekara mo douzo osukoyaka ni osugoshi kudasaimase. / Reply Romaji: Mah, gowazawaza ni. Arigatou gozaimasu nee.
Reply
まあ、ご丁寧に。ありがとうございますねえ。
まあ、ごていねいに。ありがとうございますねえ。
Oh, how thoughtful. Thank you very much.
Gesture & etiquette
Hand a purple-themed gift (purple ribbon, lavender flowers, or a chanchanko vest in purple). Bow about 30 degrees on 「おめでとうございます」. If at a family gathering, multi-generation photos are a traditional element—offer to take one.
Longevity celebrations (賀寿) by age: 還暦 (kanreki, 60—red), 古希 (koki, 70—purple), 喜寿 (kiju, 77—purple), 傘寿 (sanju, 80—gold/yellow), 米寿 (beiju, 88—gold), 卒寿 (sotsuju, 90—white), 白寿 (hakuju, 99—white), 百寿 (hyakuju, 100—white). Each has a traditional color for gifts and clothing. 喜寿 comes from the cursive 「喜」 looking like 「七十七」.