The Curious Case of ありがとう and the を Particle

Have you ever wondered it’s プレゼントをありがとう? This seemingly odd grammatical construction might sound a bit puzzling to Japanese learners. After all, ありがとう isn’t a verb, so why does it use を, a particle typically reserved for marking direct objects of transitive verbs?

The Historical Origins of ありがとう

Ancient Roots in Buddhist Philosophy

The story begins with the classical Japanese adjective:

有り難し (ari-gatashi)
Literal meaning: "difficult to exist" or "rare to come by"

This expression was deeply connected to Buddhist philosophy, where human rebirth was considered an extremely rare and precious occurrence.

Evolution of it’s Meaning

During the mid-Edo period, this concept underwent a transformation where the original meaning: “rare/precious” turned into the modern meaning: “thank you” and replaced: かたじけなし (katajikenashi), which was an older expression of gratitude.

Understanding the を (wo) Particle Usage

Modern Usage Pattern

The を particle with ありがとう marks what we consider rare and precious. For example:

プレゼントをありがとう
(presento wo arigatou)
"Thank you for the present"

Similar Evaluative Expressions

This usage parallels other evaluative constructions in Japanese:

彼の態度を失礼に思う
(kare no taido wo shitsurei ni omou)
"Consider his attitude rude"

この経験を貴重と見なす
(kono keiken wo kichou to minasu)
"Regard this experience as valuable"

将来を不安に思う
(shourai wo fuan ni omou)
"Feel anxious about the future"

Cultural and Linguistic Insights

The Opposite of ありがとう

The original meaning is beautifully preserved in its antonym:

ありがとう ⟷ あたりまえ
(arigatou)    (atarimae)
(precious)    (obvious/expected)

This opposition reflects a core aspect of Japanese gratitude: recognizing that something isn’t taken for granted (あたりまえ) but is instead worthy of appreciation (ありがたい).

Historical Development

The use of を with ありがとう is actually a relatively modern innovation:

• Classical form used に or は:

ありがたく存じます
(arigataku zonjimasu)

• Modern usage likely evolved as ありがとう became more verb-like
• Possibly influenced by the verb 感謝する (kansha suru – “to thank”), which takes を

Conclusion

While most Japanese speakers today use プレゼントをありがとう without thinking about its etymology, understanding this historical evolution helps explain what might seem like an arbitrary grammatical exception.