What does “omedetou” mean in Japanese?
I think that many Japanese learners know the phrase: omedetou. Japanese people use it to say “congratulations”. Very simple. In this blog post, however, I will explain this phrase in detail based on its origin. And also, I will explain how to use it through examples. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “omedetou” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!
Contents
Definition and meaning of “omedetou”
Let me start with the definition and meaning of “omedetou”.
- omedetou – おめでとう : a Japanese phrase meaning ‘congratulations’. This can also mean ‘best wishes’ or such depending on the situation.
Its definition and meaning are simple and clear, I think. To understand this phrase more clearly, however, let me explain its origin in detail.
Origin of “omedetou”
The phrase, “omedetou”, is considered as one conjugation of “omedetai” which consists of the following three parts:
- o – お : a prefix used to make its following words polite.
- mede – 愛で (めで) : one conjugation of the verb, “mezu”, which means ‘to love’ or ‘to cherish’ in the old Japanese language.
- itashi – 致し (いたし) : an adjective used to emphasize the meaning of the word used together.
From these three parts, we can understand that “omedetou” was used to mean ‘to love much’ or ‘to cherish much’ politely in the old Japanese language. Honestly, I don’t think that these old meanings are in line with the meaning of the phrase today. When we say “congratulations”, however, we normally have a moment to cherish much. So, the original meanings are still close to the current concept.
When we meet new Japanese phrases, we should check their components in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, components tell us a lot about meanings of phrases they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “omedetou” through the detailed check above.
Then, let me explain how to use “omedetou” through the examples below.
Example #1: how to say “happy new year” in Japanese
ake mashi te omedetou – あけましておめでとう
Happy new year!
Below are the new words used in the example greeting.
- ake – 明け (あけ) : one conjugation of the verb, “akeru”, which means ‘to open’, ‘to break’, ‘to turn’, or such in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- mashi – まし : one conjugation of the auxiliary verb, “masu”, which is used after a verb to make it polite. Probably, it is well known as a part of Japanese masu form. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
- te – て : a conjunctive particle used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its te form. In the example, this is used after the verb phrase, “ake mashi”, to make its te form, “ake mashi te”.
Before explaining how the four words in the example work together, let me explain the conjunctive particle, “te”. It has some important roles in Japanese. Two of them are highly related to the example greeting, I think. One is making a chronological order; the other is making a cause-and-effect structure.
If we consider the role of “te” in the example as making a chronological order, we can understand that the four words mean ‘it turned to the new year, now congratulations!’ It sounds natural. If we consider the role as making a cause-and-effect structure, we can understand that the words mean ‘it turned to the new year, so congratulations!’ This as well seems to be good. Actually, many Japanese native speakers have either interpretation or both. So, interestingly, the example greeting itself does not really mean ‘happy new year’ in Japanese. Just for the sake of simplicity, it is often translated so.
I think that these explanations on the example would help Japanese learners to use “ake mashi te omedetou” with a better understanding. In addition, they can easily understand the important roles of “te” in other Japanese greetings.
Anyway, this is one typical example of “omedetou”. When we want to celebrate something or congratulate someone in Japanese, it is a very good option.
Example #2: how to say “congratulations on your wedding” in Japanese
kekkon omedetou – 結婚おめでとう (けっこんおめでとう)
Congratulations on your wedding!
Below is the new word used in the example.
- kekkon – 結婚 (けっこん) : a noun meaning ‘marriage’ in Japanese.
This is another typical usage of “omedetou”. In the example, it works together with “kekkon” to say “congratulations on your wedding” in Japanese.
Summary
In this blog post, I’ve explained “omedetou” in detail based on its origin. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the examples. Let me summarize them as follows.
- omedetou – おめでとう : a Japanese phrase meaning ‘congratulations’. This can also mean ‘best wishes’ or such depending on the situation. This was used to mean ‘to love much’ or ‘to cherish much’ politely in the old Japanese language. Honestly, I don’t think that these old meanings are in line with the meaning of the phrase today. When we say “congratulations”, however, we normally have a moment to cherish much. So, the original meanings are still close to the current concept.
- ake mashi te omedetou – あけましておめでとう : a Japanese greeting for ‘happy new year’.
- kekkon omedetou – 結婚おめでとう (けっこんおめでとう) : a Japanese phrase for ‘congratulations on your wedding’.
Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.
Learn more vocabulary on the app!
You can improve your Japanese vocabulary with our flashcards.
