さよなら / さようなら (farewell)

The most universal Japanese farewell, さよなら (formal: さようなら). Carries a hint of permanence or distance — Japanese often prefer じゃあね, またね, or おつかれさま for everyday partings, reserving さよなら for more definitive goodbyes. Its etymology traces to 然様ならば ('if that's how it is').