What is the literal meaning of どういたしまして? > · > > you are welcome; don't mention it; not at all; my pleasure; —Usually written using kana alone. > > "Thank you for your help." "It's my pleasure." > > "Thank you." "You are welcome". > > ( ita.su = doth; do; send; forward; cause; exert; incur; engage) > > () dou (adverb): how; in what way; how about; —Usually written using kana alone. How do the two words come together to mean, "you're welcome."? Is it an abbreviation of an older phrase?

This one can be beautifully summarized by a simple quote from wiktionary:

> []
> +++
>

It's fairly self explanatory, but to give a breakdown in english:

* =
* = in humble language
* is the polite verb ending, but in te form, where...
* is "," the formal English name for which I don't know. It is basically a final particle used for a returning remark.



The final rough translation (of the example sentence from wiktionary) would then be something like "I didn't really do anything anyway so don't pay it any mind." However as blutorange points out, the negative notion of not having done everything comes from it being a humble _polite_ form of , so it's like asking "what did I do to be worthy of thanks?" or "Why thank me?"