Translation guide
How to tell someone to cheer up, or describe becoming happier, in Japanese.
You want to encourage a friend or someone who seems down.
The most common, natural way to say 'cheer up' to a friend. Literally 'put out energy/spirit'.
元気出して。明日はきっといい日だよ。
Cheer up. Tomorrow will surely be a good day.
A more masculine, rough way to say 'cheer up'. Used among close male friends.
そんな顔するなよ。元気出せよ。
Don't make that face. Cheer up.
Polite version of 'cheer up'. Use with people you're not close to or in formal situations.
どうか元気を出してください。
Please cheer up.
Means 'pull yourself together' or 'get a grip'. Used when someone is falling apart emotionally.
しっかりして。まだチャンスはあるよ。
Cheer up / Pull yourself together. There's still a chance.
Literally 'don't get depressed'. A softer way to say cheer up, focusing on not feeling down.
失敗は誰にでもあるよ。落ち込まないで。
Everyone makes mistakes. Don't let it get you down.
Describing that someone's mood improved or they became happier.
The most common way to say 'cheer up' in the sense of becoming cheerful. Literally 'become energetic'.
友達に会ったら、元気になった。
I cheered up after seeing my friend.
Means 'to brighten up', both in mood and expression. Often used for someone's face or atmosphere.
彼女の顔がぱっと明るくなった。
Her face suddenly brightened up.
Literally 'mood becomes good'. A straightforward way to say you feel better emotionally.
散歩したら気分が良くなった。
I felt better after taking a walk.
Means 'to regain one's energy/spirits'. Slightly more formal or literary.
彼は徐々に元気を取り戻した。
He gradually cheered up.
You want to say that you or something cheered someone up.
The standard transitive verb for 'cheer someone up'. Literally 'to attach energy'.
彼女を元気づけようとした。
I tried to cheer her up.
Means 'to encourage' or 'cheer up' by giving support or kind words.
Literally 'make someone's mood good'. A bit more explicit and less common than 元気づける.
その冗談が彼の気分を良くさせた。
The joke cheered him up.
Telling yourself or someone to cheer themselves up.
Used when you need to cheer yourself up. Often in advice or self-talk.
落ち込んだ時は、自分を元気づけることが大切だ。
When you're feeling down, it's important to cheer yourself up.
The English loanword チアアップ is not used in Japanese. Always use native expressions like 元気出して.
「チアアップ」は日本語では通じません。
'Cheer up' as a loanword is not understood in Japanese.
頑張って (do your best) is often used to encourage someone before a challenge, while 元気出して is specifically for cheering someone up when they are sad or depressed. Using 頑張って to a depressed person can sometimes feel dismissive.
落ち込んでいる友達に「頑張って」と言うのは逆効果かもしれない。
Telling a depressed friend 'do your best' might be counterproductive.
友達が落ち込んでいたので、励ました。
My friend was feeling down, so I cheered him up.