köken: /omedetaku/ → /omedetau/ → /omedetɔː/ → /omedetoː/ Originally a compound of 御 (o-, honorific prefix) + 愛でたく (medetaku, “admirably, auspiciously”), from adjective 愛でたい (medetai, “admirable, auspicious”). Modern Japanese -i adjectives formerly ended in -ki for the attributive form. This medial /k/ dropped out during the Muromachi period, both for the attributive form (-ki becoming -i) and for the…
A common expression used on a variety of holidays and other occasions, corresponding, depending on the case, to happy New Year, happy birthday, congratulations, etc.
köken: Literally, “to/for many years”. Calque of Byzantine Greek εἰς ἔτη πολλά (eis étē pollá). Compare Bulgarian за много години (za mnogo godini), Albanian për shumë vjet, Serbo-Croatian за много годинa, Aromanian ti multsã anj.