Let's eat! e Thank you for the meal. They are two Japanese expressions used during meals to thank for the food. What few people know is their real meaning and history, so let's study these two words of the Japanese language in depth.
Let's eat! [頂きます] is an expression used before meals that literally means “receive“. It is used to show gratitude for the food and involved. It is customary to lower the head and the hands as in prayer.
Thank you for the meal. [御馳走様でした] something like let's eat (a phrase said before meals), but it is used after meals and can be literally translated as thank you for the meal. There is no need to necessarily say these two expressions out loud.
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The Story of Itadakimasu
The kanji used in the word Itadakimasu [頂] also means "top," and the verb itadaku [頂く] originally means "to place something above the head." Long ago, people would place food above their heads before eating, especially when the food was provided by someone of higher social status. This gesture gave rise to the expression itadakimasu [いただきます].
As Japan has a Buddhist cultural background, it is not surprising that Itadakimasu is also related to the Buddhist principle of respecting all living beings.
Before meals, Itadakimasu is said as a thank you to the plants and animals that gave their lives for the meal you are about to consume. It also expresses gratitude to everyone involved, from the hunter, farmer, the rice, God, and those who prepared the meal.
The act of ing hands and bowing the head is part of this Buddhist principle. The word Itadakimasu is part of daily Japanese life. Regardless of religion, it should be used just like a "thank you" to express gratitude for meals.
There is a Japanese saying that emphasizes being grateful for all the elements that make up food:
- お 米一粒一粒には、七人の神様が住んでいる。
- In every grain of rice, seven gods reside;
- 7 Gods live in a single grain of rice;
This saying also emphasizes another custom of never leaving food on the plate. This is also related to the Buddhist philosophy that all life is sacred. Even eating with hashi has its rules.
Do all Japanese speak itadakimasu?
Some religions that do not want to have a relationship with Buddhism simply avoid ing their hands and bowing their heads, but they usually say itadakimasu and gochisousama deshita. However, not all Japanese people say itadakimasu nowadays.
Research reveals that about 64% of the Japanese put their hands together and say itadakimasu, while 28% only say it, 1% only put their hands together, and 6% do absolutely nothing.
The custom of bringing hands together and bowing originated from the Buddhist sect Jodo-Shinshu, which has the highest concentration in Hiroshima and the southern part of the country. About 90% of the people in this region have the habit of bringing their hands together.
In Hokkaido and northern Japan, this custom is much smaller. It may happen that some japoneses speak with a very low voice the words itadakimasu and gochisousama deshita, as if they were embarrassed.
Meanings and uses of Itadakimasu
Everyone knows that words take on different meanings unrelated to their origin. Likewise, Itadakimasu can be understood with several other meanings.
When related to gêneros alimentícios, it can be understood as: "Let's eat," "Bon appétit," or "Thank you for the food." Some even compare this word to the Christian tradition of saying grace before a meal.
Itadakimasu is used not only when eating a meal, but you can say it when accepting something or a gift from someone. that the literal translation of the word means "I humbly receive", so that makes total sense.
For example, if someone gives you a gift, or if you get something as a free sample from a store, you can use itadakimasu. Pretty much any time you get something, you can use itadakimasu.
To get a better idea of when it is appropriate to use itadakimasu outside of food-related situations, you can watch some dorama or anime and pay attention to when itadakimasu is said.
It really isn't every time you speak itadakimasu, there are many ways to say thank you in Japanese, only with time will you learn the right way for every occasion.
What does Gochisousama Deshita mean?
While Itadakimasu thanks everyone involved in the production of the food, Gochisousama Deshita usually emphasizes mainly the cooks or those who serve the food. It can be literally: "Thank you for the delicious meal!".
The literal translation of the word Gochisousama Deshita [御馳走様でした] is "Thank you for the meal."
- Go - 御 - A respectful prefix, similar to "お" in [お金], [お元気], etc;
- Chisou - 馳走 - Means delight, banquet, party, pleasant meal, good food, and others;
- Sama - 様 - Very respectful and honorable suffix used with clients and even for kings and gods;
- Deshita - でした - Past tense conjugation, like "was".
In the past, the word chiso [馳走] meant to run or make every effort. In ancient times, people would ride horses and run to gather food for the guests.
Even though it didn't involve horses, people also had to run to prepare the guests' meals. Soon this word began to include the meaning of inviting people to eat.
At the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868), the words GO [御] and SAMA [様] were added to show appreciation, so soon Japanese people started using gochisousama after meals.
There is a lot of work and effort by many people behind every meal we eat. Saying this in a restaurant strongly emphasizes that you liked the food.
Gochisama [御馳走様] does not have to be used literally after a meal. You can use it to say thanks for a meal the other day, some food you got and the like.
In a restaurant, the gochisousama should be directed to the chef and not to the people present at the table. So in certain restaurants, you can thank at the when you pay for your meal.
You can also add totemo oishikatta [とても美味しかった] it was very good, after the sentence gochisousama deshita. It can be a bit informal, but it indicates that you really liked the meal.
This is further proof that Japanese culture and its language is full of politeness and respect. And do you think of these words? Do you make use of them? If you liked the article, share it and leave your comments!
Read also: The History of Football in 日本
