Japanese word

ご馳走

Pronunciation

Romajigochisō

Meaning

  • nountreat

Example

これはご馳走です。ko re wa go chi sō de su

This is a treat.

Illustration for ご馳走 (treat)

More examples

友達の家でご馳走になりました。tomo dachi no ie de go chi sō ni na ri ma shi ta

I was treated to a meal at my friend's house.

Core concept

Refers to food presented as a special pleasure, often as hospitality for a guest.

Common phrases

  • ご馳走になるgo chi sō ni na ru

    be treated to a meal

  • ご馳走を用意するgo chi sō o yō i su ru

    prepare a feast

Definition in Japanese

特別に用意された、おいしい食事や人をもてなすための食事。toku betsu ni yō i sa re ta o i shi i shoku ji ya hito o mo te na su ta me no shoku ji

Word origin

ご馳走 (gochisō) combines ご (go, an honorific prefix) with 馳走 (chisō, originally "running around" to prepare hospitality), which came to mean a meal prepared for a guest.

Usage tips

  • In the set phrase ご馳走さま (gochisōsama), the word appears after a meal as a polite expression of thanks for the food and the effort behind it.

Other meanings

  • feastnoun

Word lists with this word