いただきます

8th-century Man'yoshu is an early point for いただく: Seisenban Nihon Kokugo Daijiten cites a form written 伊多太伎て in poem 20-4377. The basic verb いただく, written 頂く or 戴く, first meant to put something on the head or receive it with respect. The polite ending ます turns いただく into いただきます. From the medieval period, いただく developed humble meanings for receiving from a superior and for eating or drinking. Digital Daijisen lists both もらう and 食う・飲む as humble uses, while the older physical meaning remains in phrases such as 王冠をいただく and 雪をいただいた山. Food offered to kami or Buddhist figures also shaped meal language and table manners. The common meal-pair is ごちそうさま after eating. Modern いただきます is said before a meal, often with hands together, and it thanks the act of receiving the food rather than wishing appetite. French bon appétit and English enjoy your meal address the eater; いただきます is said by the person who is about to eat. A direct English gloss is I humbly receive, not please eat well.