Otsukaresama お疲れ様

otsukaresama · from Japanese

What does otsukaresama mean?

お疲れ様 (otsukaresama) is a Japanese expression acknowledging someone's hard work, used as a greeting, thanks or farewell at work.

Literally you must be tired, it is said when colleagues leave, after a meeting or simply when passing in the corridor. Its past form お疲れ様でした otsukaresama deshita closes the day. English has no single equivalent.

Examples

お疲れ様です otsukaresama desu (thanks for your hard work, at work); お疲れ様でした otsukaresama deshita (good work today); お疲れ otsukare (casual)

Kungfucius says: The Japanese way of saying hello, goodbye and I see you suffering, all at once.