Moshi-whatnow? “Moshi Moshi” da yo! This is the expression Japanese people use when answering the phone. But why on earth say it twice? Isn’t once enough for you?? Today I explain the reason for that giving oft-uttered phrase in a double dose. Moshi-Moshi, are you listening?

So Koichi over at Tofugu just recently published an article on the meaning of the words ‘Moshi Moshi’ in Japanese. Little did he know that I’d had this exact same topic brewing the vaults of my Wordpress blog for sometime, after learning about it in one of my Japanese listening classes. But, as fortune would have it, Koichi’s well-researched and plausible reasons for why Japanese people say ‘Moshi-Moshi’ when they answer the phone are quite different from mine!

Why do Japanese people say ‘Moshi-Moshi’ twice?

I was introduced to this game show a couple of weeks ago. It’s called ‘Riyuu Aru Tarou’ (’The guy with the Reason’, or something like that) on which the celebrities and comedians on the gameshow compete against one another to earn money. An audience of more celebrities listens to the salespitch: I’ll tell you the answer to this really interesting problem, if you pay me 1000 yen (about 5 pounds)! The celebrities then decide, on the basis of the salespitch, whether they want to hear the answer to the problem. Today’s problem? You guess it! ‘Why say ‘Moshi-Moshi’ twice on the phone?

First up, let’s look at the word. ‘Moshi Moshi’ is an abbreviation of ‘Mosu Mosu’ (the Japanese verb ‘to speak’). So, traditionally when you spoke out to someone, you would call them in this way.

But why not just once? Why call them twice? Apparently, the reason has to do with ghosts and ghouls (not the game!) Ghosts have a long history in Japanese culture – they are called 妖怪 (youkai).

According to the historian, saying ‘Moshi Moshi’ twice was the way to prove you were not a ghost. Apparently ghosts can only say ‘Moshi’ once!

So, what happens if a ghost calls out to you…’Moshi‘…and you turn around to answer..?

…They steal your soul! Ba-da-ba-boom!!!

So in order to prove that you are a nice, warm-blooded (and hopefully harmless) human being, you say ‘Moshi-Moshi’ twice, just to be on the safe side ^_^;.

This also goes for making a phone call. In order to show that you aren’t a vengeful ghoulie, you speak out to the other person and respond with ‘Moshi-Moshi’!

Which means bad news for this comedian – Ogi -san – as he says he answers the phone like this:

Moshi-Moshi?

Ah, Moshi. Ogi desu kedo.

What?? Moshi? It seems Mr. Ogi might be a ghost! o.O;

So there you go. The reason we say Moshi-Moshi twice. I hope for your sake you don’t say it only once! ^-^;

Here’s the video: