also: おんれい
Polite noun for expressing gratitude. Very common in phrases such as お礼を言う, お礼を申し上げる, and お礼のメール.
I thanked the friend who helped me.
I will send a thank-you email later.
thank-you gift; reward; token of thanks
Refers to something given in return for help or kindness, from a small gift to money offered as a reward.
I sent a thank-you gift to the teacher who had helped me.
I gave a small reward to the person who found my wallet.
bow of thanks; thankful bow
A physical bow made as an expression of thanks or respect. In ordinary modern wording, お辞儀 is the more direct word for a bow, while お礼 emphasizes the thankful act.
She made a deep bow of thanks before leaving the room.
I thanked my teacher.
Since they had helped me, I gave them some sweets as a thank-you gift.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone.
I want to give something in return for their help.
I sent a thank-you email after the interview.
I wrote a thank-you letter after the wedding.