expression
nice to meet you; how do you do
Polite greeting used when meeting someone for the first time. Often followed by a self-introduction.
初めまして、田中と申します。
Nice to meet you, I'm Tanaka.
はじめまして、どうぞよろしくお願いします。
How do you do? I look forward to working with you.
Often paired with 初めまして in a self-introduction; expresses a request for goodwill rather than the initial greeting itself.
From the polite て-form of the verb 初める (hajimeru, 'to begin for the first time'), literally meaning 'for the first time' and used as a set greeting.