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ご馳走様 (ごちそうさま, gochisousama) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ごちそうさま

ご

ち

そ

う

さ

ま

Common word›JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

thank you for the meal; that was delicious

usually written using kana alone

Standard phrase said after eating, expressing gratitude for the food. Used in both casual and polite settings.

「ごちそうさま」と言いって席せきを立たった。

I said 'thank you for the meal' and left the table.

今日きょうの晩ばんごはん、本ほん当とうにごちそうさまでした。

Thank you so much for tonight's dinner; it was truly delicious.

2

thanks for the lovey-dovey display

usually written using kana alonejocular, humorous

Jocular, humorous use when witnessing a couple being overly affectionate; a playful way to say 'get a room' or 'thanks for the show'.

カップルが人ひと前まえでイチャイチャしてたから、「ごちそうさま」って言いっちゃった。
The couple was all lovey-dovey in public, so I jokingly said, 'Thanks for the meal!'

Usage patterns

〈相あい手て〉にご馳ち走そう様さまと言いうto jokingly say 'get a room'/'thanks for the show' to a couple being affectionate
仲なか良よくしている二人ふたりを見みて、思おもわず「ご馳ち走そう様さま」と言いってしまった。
Seeing the couple being so affectionate, I couldn't help but jokingly say 'get a room.'

Expressions

ごちそうさまでしたthank you for the meal; that was delicious

Kanji

馳run, gallop, sail
走run
様Esq., way, manner
御honorable, manipulate, govern

Opposites

いただきますN4sense 1
いただきます is said before eating to give thanks for the meal, while ご馳走様 is said afterward to express the same gratitude once finished.

Politeness

ごちそうさまでしたN5
ご馳走様でした is the standard, slightly more polite past-tense form, while ご馳走様 is the casual version used among friends and family.

Don't confuse with

ご馳ち走そうN4sense 1
ご馳走 is a noun meaning 'feast' or 'treat' (e.g. ご馳走を食べる), while ご馳走様 is the fixed interjection said to give thanks after eating.

Built from

ご馳ち走そう+様さま

Written forms

ご馳ち走そう様さま
Standard kanji spelling; widely recognized and used in formal contexts.
ご馳ち走そうさま
Common variant with さま in kana; slightly less formal than 様.
御ご馳ち走そう様さま
Full kanji spelling with 御; rare and formal.

Etymology

Derived from ご馳走 (go-chisō, 'feast, treat') + 様 (sama, honorific suffix). Originally expressed gratitude for the effort of preparing and serving the meal.