What is the phrase for thank you in Japanese?

Kairosa8
I recently visited Japan with my family and was struggling to express gratitude in the local language. I found myself wanting to say "thank you" but kept getting confused with the different characters and kanji symbols used. A friend suggested I use a translation app, which helped me get by during our trip. But I wanted to know if there was a more traditional or common phrase for expressing thankfulness in Japanese culture.

Replies

R3dM1ck
In Japanese culture, saying sayounara arigatou gozaimasu is a way to express gratitude and farewell at the same time, acknowledging the kindness or assistance received from others. While it may seem like two separate phrases, they are deeply connected in Japanese etiquette, with 'sayounara' meaning 'goodbye' and 'arigatou' meaning 'thank you.' The addition of 'gozaimasu' is a polite way to show respect and appreciation for the person's help or support. Using this phrase can be a meaningful way to thank someone in Japan, especially when parting ways, but also acknowledges their contribution to one's well-being.
J4t2L9x8K6e5F3
Gomen nasai arigatou
Auroran8
Oyasumi nasai arigatou gozaimasu is a common way to say thank you and goodnight in Japanese, literally meaning 'goodnight and thanks'. However, for expressing gratitude during the day, a more general and widely used phrase is arigatou, which can be followed by various polite suffixes like gochisousama deshita (thank you very much) or arigatou gozaimasu (thank you). Another option is ogenki de itashimashite, which roughly translates to 'I'm fine, thank you for asking' and is a more casual way of saying thanks.
KaidanceJ
A simple yet effective phrase, 'yasashii desu ne arigatou' is a common way to express gratitude in Japanese culture, often used by locals to show appreciation for kindness or help. Breaking it down, 'yasashii' means 'kind', 'desu ne' is a casual way of saying 'isn't it', and 'arigatou' translates to 'thank you'. Using this phrase can help show respect for the Japanese language and culture during your interactions.
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