Japanese word

サンキュー

Pronunciation

Romajisankyū

Meaning

  • interjectionthank you

Example

友達にサンキューと言います。tomo dachi ni sa n kyū to i i ma su

I say "thank you" to my friend.

Illustration for サンキュー (thank you)

More examples

助けてくれて、サンキューです。tasu ke te ku re te sa n kyū de su

Thank you for helping me.

Core concept

Expresses gratitude in a friendly, informal way rather than marking a formal social exchange.

Common phrases

  • サンキュー、ベリーマッチsa n kyū be rī ma tchi

    Thank you very much

Similar words

ありがとうarigatō: A common expression of gratitude used in both speech and writing.
どうもdōmo: A brief informal expression of thanks that can stand alone.

Definition in Japanese

感謝の気持ちを表すくだけた言い方。kan sha no ki mo chi o arawa su ku da ke ta i i kata

Word origin

サンキュー (sankyū) comes from the English phrase "thank you," adapted to Japanese pronunciation as a casual expression of gratitude.

Usage tips

  • Because it is casual, サンキュー (sankyū) fits friendly speech but can sound too informal in formal situations.

Word lists with this word