What is the difference between "ありがとう", "いただきます", "感謝する", "恐縮"?

"ありがとう" means "Thank you", "いただきます" means "Thank you for the meal (before eating); I humbly receive", "感謝する" means "to thank, to appreciate, to be grateful", "恐縮" means "thank you very much; excuse me for troubling you; I am sorry; I feel awful".

Quadruple VS

Synonym Boundary: "ありがとう", "いただきます", "感謝する", "恐縮"

All represent the core concept "thank", but require precise selection.

Japanese Option A

ありがとう

ありがとう (arigatou)

N5 / CEFR

Japanese Option B

いただきます

いただきます (itadakimasu)

N5 / CEFR

Japanese Option C

感謝する

かんしゃする (kansha suru)

N4 / CEFR

Japanese Option D

恐縮

きょうしゅく (kyoushuku)

N2 / CEFR

Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "thank" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "ありがとう", "いただきます", "感謝する", "恐縮" based on context.

ありがとう (ありがとう (arigatou) - Level: N5): Maps to "Thank you" and is used when An informal way to express gratitude. The polite form is ありがとうございます.
いただきます (いただきます (itadakimasu) - Level: N5): Maps to "Thank you for the meal (before eating); I humbly receive" and is used when A polite phrase said before eating or drinking, or when receiving something, expressing gratitude. It implies 'I humbly receive this food/drink/item'..
感謝する (かんしゃする (kansha suru) - Level: N4): Maps to "to thank, to appreciate, to be grateful" and is used when A more formal way to express gratitude compared to ありがとう. Often used in written form, formal speeches, or when expressing deep appreciation..
恐縮 (きょうしゅく (kyoushuku) - Level: N2): Maps to "thank you very much; excuse me for troubling you; I am sorry; I feel awful" and is used when A polite expression used to show gratitude, apologize, or express a feeling of being burdened or sorry, especially when asking for a favor or receiving something. Formal. 感謝、謝罪、または特に何かを頼む際や受け取る際に、恐縮している気持ちを表す丁寧な表現です。フォーマルな場面で使われます。.

Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!

Context for "ありがとう"

手伝ってくれて、ありがとう。

Thank you for helping me.

Context for "いただきます"

食事の前に「いただきます」と言います。

I say "Itadakimasu" before a meal.

Context for "感謝する"

皆様のご協力に心から感謝いたします。

I sincerely thank you all for your cooperation.

Context for "恐縮"

お忙しいところ恐縮ですが、少々お時間をいただけますでしょうか。

I'm sorry to trouble you when you're busy, but could I have a moment of your time?

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "手伝ってくれて、＿＿＿。" (Meaning: "Thank you for helping me.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "ありがとう" is correct here because it represents "Thank you" in the context: "Thank you for helping me.".