Synonym Boundary: "ありがとう", "お疲れ様", "ごちそうさま", "感謝する", "ごくろうさま"

When expressing "thank" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "ありがとう", "お疲れ様", "ごちそうさま", "感謝する", "ごくろうさま" 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.
• お疲れ様 (おつかれさま (otsukaresama) - Level: N5): Maps to "Thank you for your hard work; You must be tired (greeting)" and is used when A common greeting used to acknowledge someone's effort or hard work, often said at the end of the day, after a meeting, or when someone has completed a task. Not necessarily implying the person is *actually* tired, but showing appreciation..
• ごちそうさま (ごちそうさま (gochisousama) - Level: N5): Maps to "Thank you for the meal (after eating)" and is used when A polite phrase said after finishing a meal, expressing gratitude for the food and/or the hospitality. Often shortened to 「ごちそうさま」..
• 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..
• ごくろうさま (ごくろうさま (gokurōsama) - Level: N2): Maps to "Thank you for your hard work; I appreciate your efforts" and is used when A polite expression of appreciation for someone's effort, typically used by a superior to a subordinate, or between colleagues when one has completed a task. It's generally less formal than お疲れ様です.

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