御ご用よう

noun

your business; your concern; your need

Honorific term used when asking about or referring to someone's business, errand, or reason for visiting. Often used in service contexts.

• 本ほん日じつのご用ようは何なんでしょうか。

  What can I do for you today? (lit. What is your business today?)

• お客きゃく様さまのご用ようを承うけたまわります。

  I will attend to your needs, sir/madam.

noun

your order; customer's order

Honorific term for a customer's order, request, or commission. Common in shops and restaurants.

• ご用ようの品しなをお持もちいたしました。

  I have brought the item you ordered.

• ご用ようをどうぞ。

  Please tell me your order.

noun

official business; government business; Imperial Court business

Refers to official duties or affairs of the government, Imperial Court, or other authorities. Not honorific in this sense.

• 役やく人にんが御ご用ようで地ち方ほうへ出しゅっ張ちょうした。

  The official went on a business trip to the countryside on government business.

• 宮きゅう中ちゅうの御ご用ようを務つとめる。

  To serve in the Imperial Court's official business.

noun

arrest; capture

Historical or euphemistic term for arrest by authorities, especially in the Edo period. Now mostly seen in period dramas or set phrases like 御用だ.

• 「御ご用ようだ、御ご用ようだ！」と捕とり方かたが叫さけんだ。

  "You are under arrest!" shouted the constables.

• 時じ代だい劇げきではよく「御ご用よう」という言こと葉ばが出でてくる。

  The word 御用 often appears in period dramas.

noun-modifying (irregular)

pro-government; subservient to authority

Prenominal modifier used for media or organizations that are seen as subservient to the government or authority. Often pejorative.

See also: 御用新聞

• その新しん聞ぶんは御ご用よう新しん聞ぶんだと批ひ判はんされた。

  That newspaper was criticized as a government mouthpiece.

• 御ご用よう学がく者しゃの意い見けんばかりが取とり上あげられる。

  Only the opinions of pro-government scholars are picked up.