What does Okini means in Japanese?

Okini meaning in Japanese

“Okini” is a dialect word widely used in the Kansai region, mainly in Kyoto and Osaka. It means “thank you” and is used as a light greeting.

Originally, it appeared in the form of “okini- (very much) arigato (thank you).” However, it is thought that “arigato” was omitted and the first half alone came to include the meaning of “thank you.” Thus, the English translation of “okini” is “thank you.”

Originally, “okini” itself was an adverb meaning “very” or “largely.” Its origin is the standard Japanese word “okii,” meaning “big” or “large.” However, if you hear “okini” in general in the Kyoto and Osaka region, you can take it as a dialect word meaning “thank you.”

So, what do people in Kyoto say when someone says “okini” to them? This depends on the person to whom you are addressing. However, “Nani osshatte okureyasu” is very Kyoto-like. It means “What are you saying for me?” There’s also “Messoumonai” (“Not at all”). These are the Kyoto dialect words for “You are welcome.”

Also, people in Kyoto consider a person who refuses someone’s offer to be cold or harsh. They tend to omit the words of refusal. Therefore, when they say “okini,” it could mean “Thank you but” – in other words, “No, thank you,” which can be quite confusing.

In Kyoto, people’s indirect ways of saying things can be confusing for people from elsewhere.

People in Kyoto will say, “You have a nice watch,” when they want you to leave; they are implying that you should take a look at your watch and see what time it is. When a next-door neighbor in Kyoto says, “Your child is an excellent piano player,” what he means is, “We hear your child playing piano even at our house and it is bothering us. Can you do something about it?”

Okini vs. Arigato

While “okini” is used in Osaka, the Kyoto area, and possibly part of Fukuoka,
“arigato” is used in the rest of Japan. “Arigato” is a standard Japanese
and Tokyo dialect word. If people in Tokyo hear someone say, “okini,”
they will know that he or she is from the Osaka/Kyoto region.