意思
A polite response to "thank you," indicating it was no trouble.
练习题库
3 练习The customer thanked you for your help. What is a polite Japanese response, indicating it was no trouble? (Japanese: _________, どういたしまして。)
Complete the polite Japanese response to 'thank you': いいえ、___________。
After assisting a colleague, they say 'ありがとうございます' (Thank you). You want to politely say 'You're welcome.' How do you complete the phrase? (Japanese: いいえ、___________)
🎉 得分： /3
The phrase 'いいえ' (iie) means 'no'. 'どういたしまして' (dou itashimashite) is a more complex phrase. 'どう' (dou) means 'how' or 'what'. 'いたしまして' (itashimashite) is the polite past tense form of 'する' (suru), meaning 'to do'. Literally, it could be interpreted as something like 'What did I do?' or 'It is not something that was done (to be thanked for)'. Over time, this evolved into the standard polite response for 'you're welcome'. It implies that the favor or action was so insignificant that it doesn't warrant thanks. While its literal components are ancient, its specific usage as 'you're welcome' developed over centuries, reflecting evolving Japanese linguistic politeness conventions. It's a phrase deeply ingrained in Japanese social interactions, highlighting humility and the smooth flow of social exchange rather than direct indebtedness.
