The history of thank you

A phrase used to express gratitude to someone.

It is the most commonly used word in a day in Japan and around the world.

This time, let's look at the history of thank you.

In Japanese, "arigatou" originally meant that "it is difficult to have," meaning that something is "rare and precious" or "difficult to find in this world." Over time, the meaning has gradually changed, evolving into the current "arigatou" that expresses gratitude.

In France...

In the past, the word "merci" meant a salary or reward. It is very similar to the word "marché," which means business, and was a common word used by merchants.

In those days, the French word for thank you was "grace." Nowadays, it is often used to mean "thanks to someone or something."

Over time, the word "merci" evolved into a natural way of expressing gratitude.