How to say "Thank" in Japanese

When translating "thank" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between いただきます and 労う. In Japanese, いただきます (いただきます (itadakimasu)) is typically associated with "Thank you for the meal (before eating); I humbly receive" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents A polite phrase said before eating or drinking, or when receiving something, expressing gratitude. It implies 'I humbly receive this food/drink/item'.. On the other hand, 労う (ねぎらう (negirau)) maps to "to thank for one's efforts, to reward for toil, to appreciate hard work" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents 大変な仕事や努力、貢献に対して、感謝や慰労の気持ちを表す際に用いられます。達成後や一区切りついた時に使われることが多いです。. A literal translation of "thank" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!