どういたしまして

ど

う

い

た

し

ま

し

て

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

interjection

you're welcome; don't mention it; my pleasure

usually written using kana alone

Standard polite response to thanks; used in everyday conversation.

「ありがとうございます。」「どう

いたし

まし

て

。

」

"Thank you very much." "You're welcome."

手伝てつだってくれてありがとう。— どういたしまして。

Thanks for helping me. — Don't mention it.

Kanji

致doth, do, send
如likeness, like, such as
何what

Related words

家いえ々いえ
どういたしまして is the standard polite reply to thanks, while いえいえ is a casual, informal way of brushing off thanks or a compliment.
とんでもないN3
どういたしまして simply accepts thanks politely, whereas とんでもない more strongly denies that thanks or praise is warranted, often in formal or humble speech.
いいえN5
どういたしまして is a fuller, more explicit way to say 'you're welcome', while いいえ is a lighter, more modest deflection of thanks.

Written forms

どう致いたしまして
Kanji spelling using 致; rarely used in modern writing.
如何どう致いたしまして
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling using 如何; not commonly encountered.

Etymology

Derived from どう (how) + 致しまして (polite te-form of 致す, humble form of する), literally meaning 'how have I done (to deserve thanks)?'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a fixed polite expression.