社交辞令 — Friendly or Just Polite?
2026-10-17
社交辞令 — Friendly or Just Polite?
“We should have dinner sometime.”
“Please visit us when you are in town.”
“Let’s do business together.”
These expressions sound encouraging. But are they actual invitations, promises, or simply polite words?
In Japanese, we call this 社交辞令 (shakō jirei): courteous expressions used to maintain pleasant social relationships. They convey goodwill without necessarily implying a commitment.
This can be confusing, especially in business. You may leave a meeting expecting another appointment or a proposal, while the other person simply feels the conversation ended on a pleasant note.
Even Japanese people sometimes find it difficult to tell whether someone is genuinely interested or just being polite. If you are confused, don’t worry—we are too.
Disclaimer: I use AI as a tool to help create images and proofread my writing. However, the ideas, opinions, experiences, and messages in my posts are my own. AI does not generate my posts for me. It simply helps me present my own words and ideas more clearly.
Kenichi Uchikura
Founder & CEO
Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. (PSPINC)
Uchikura & Co., LLC.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
I was born and raised in Japan and have spent most of my adult life in the United States. Through this blog, I share Japanese culture, language, expressions, and wisdom. My goal is not to say one culture is better, but to explore different perspectives and what we can learn from them.
Your comments are always welcome.
..-･**･-....-･･-..__..-･･-....-･**･-..
Kenichi Uchikura
Founder & CEO
Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. (PSPINC)
Uchikura & Co., LLC.
..-･**･-....-･･-..__..-･･-....-･**･-..
ABOUT THIS BLOG
I was born and raised in Japan and have spent most of my adult life in the United States. Through this blog, I share Japanese culture, language, expressions, and wisdom. My goal is not to say one culture is better, but to explore different perspectives and what we can learn from them.
Your comments are always welcome.
..-･**･-....-･･-..__..-･･-....-･**･-..