*** Japanese Culture and Language Series #3 ***

Come to #Nostrasia 🇯🇵 in #Tokyo from Nov 1-3 and use some of these expressions while you're here!

お疲れさま！ otsukaresama

お疲れさまです！ otsukaresamadesu

お疲れさまでした！ otsukaresamadeshita

"Otsukaresama" is a Japanese word that is used to express appreciation, acknowledgment, or sympathy for someone's effort, hard work, or tiredness arising from an endeavor. It is often used as a form of greeting or farewell in various settings, for example, with colleagues at the end of a workday. The literal translation of "otsukaresama" is "you're tired."

In Japanese characters, "otsukaresama" is written as お疲れ様 or お疲れさま. The first character "お" (o) is an honorific prefix, and "疲れ" (tsukare) means "tired" or "fatigue." The last character, written as "様" or "さま" (sama), is a respectful suffix used to show honor or respect toward the person. Together, they form the phrase "otsukaresama" (お疲れ様).

By saying "otsukaresama" to someone, you are acknowledging their hard work, showing appreciation for their efforts, and recognizing their tiredness. It is commonly used in professional and social settings to express respect and consideration for others. One can also say "otsukaresama" to oneself, in acknowledgment of one's own effort. How lovely!!

It touches me that "otsukaresama" is said to the driver at arrival if one is sitting in a car driven by somebody else, even if that somebody else is a family member! ❤️

Below are some examples of illustrations that express "otsukaresama".

#japaneselanguage #japaneseculture