ご褒美
gohōbi
The English phrase 'reward' is translated into Japanese as ご褒美 (gohōbi).
ご褒美 is used to suggest a reward given for good behavior, achievements or as an incentive.
Meaning: prize promised for a certain deed or catch (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of the polite prefix ご and 褒美, which means reward or prize.
Which one should you use?
While ご褒美 is often used for incentives or good behavior, other terms exist for specific contexts: 報酬 is a general term for reward used in formal situations to refer to payment or compensation. 褒賞 indicates a reward given for exceptional performance or meritorious acts. And 賞品 specifically refers to a prize given in competitions, contests or games.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ご褒美 is a polite way to express the concept of a reward, made so by the addition of the honorific prefix ご. In more formal settings, you might use 報酬 for payment, 褒賞 for recognition of merit or 賞品 for contest prizes.
How do you pronounce it?
gohōbi
Did you know?
- If you are waiting for a reward in a professional setting, using ご褒美 might sound patronizing, as if you are a child waiting for a treat from a parent.
- In Japanese pop culture, the term ご褒美 is frequently used in the context of 'self-reward' (jibun e no gohōbi), a common way to justify small splurges in a consumerist society.
- The kanji in 褒美 includes the character for 'praise', which creates a nuance that the reward is inseparable from the verbal recognition that accompanies it.
Examples in context
- はい、ご褒美。Here is your reward.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of ご褒美.Tatoeba #1550616 by marcelostockle, translation #1550613 by marcelostockle
- 社員の優れた業績に対して褒賞を授与します。We will present rewards for outstanding employee performance.
- このコンテストの一等賞品は素晴らしいですよ。The first prize in this contest is amazing!
- 子供が試験で一位だったので、ご褒美としておもちゃを買ってあげました。Since my child came first in the exam, I bought them a toy as a reward.
- 頑張ったから、ほうびにアイスクリームを食べよう！Since you did well, let's have ice cream as a reward!
- テストで満点を取ったら、ご褒美があるよ。Tesuto de manten o tottara, gohoubi ga aru yo.If you get a perfect score on the test, there will be a reward.
- 最後まで頑張った自分へのご褒美を買いました。Saigo made ganbatta jibun e no gohoubi o kaimashita.I bought a reward for myself for working hard until the end.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are talking about studying for an exam.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮くん、試験が終わったら何が欲しい？Ren-kun, shiken ga owattara nani ga hoshii?Ren, what do you want when the exam is over?
- 蓮 Renご褒美に、新しいゲームが欲しいな。Gohoubi ni, atarashii geemu ga hoshii na.As a reward, I want a new game.
- 美咲 Misakiじゃあ、合格したら美咲が買ってあげるね。Jaa, goukaku shitara Misaki ga katte ageru ne.Then, if you pass, Misaki will buy it for you.
- 蓮 Ren本当？ありがとう、頑張るよ！Hontou? Arigatou, ganbaru yo!Really? Thank you, I'll do my best!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
