342 CHAPTER 8. SET PHRASES
- ”Welcome back”
This phrase is the typical response to , and welcomes someone
back home, or back to a place that can be considered a base of departure,
such as your office, when you went out for a power meeting with manage-
ment and have returned unscathed.
This phrase is technically the honorific commanding form of ,
to return [to some base]:
+ in + in
+ +
- ”Thanks to you”
This phrase is a typical reply to the question (how do you
do), in which case it is usually preceded by an affirmative such as. It
is also used frequently in situations where someone receives praise from
someone who contributed to whatever the praise is for. Traditionally, a
- meaning ”shadow” or ”shadow figure” – is used to mean someone who
was the unseen driving force behind other people. Literally, saying
means ”due to your being like a shadow for me”, and can be interpreted
as ”because of [your] contributing actions, [I am where I am now, at this
moment]”.
- Get well
This phrase can be considered the statement , ”be well”, with
the left off. It is used as a general parting phrase with people who
you will not be seeing the very next day, such as when seeing an incidental
friend off, as well as as parting phrase for people who can use well-wishing,
such as friends who seem a bit down.
- ”How are you?”
This is a terribly misused phrase by people who start to take an interest in
Japanese, who mistakenly take it to mean ”hello”.
