敬具（けいぐ、keigu）
- Sincerely (letter closing)

敬具 is a Japanese closing salutation used in formal letters and emails. It expresses respect and sincerity. It's similar in function to "Sincerely," or "Best regards," in English. The literal meaning can be roughly translated as "respectfully," or "with respect." 敬具 is used to politely end the correspondence, indicating that the sender is showing deference to the recipient. The tone is generally polite and professional. It implies the writer holds the addressee in high regard and wishes them well.

⚫︎ 拝啓、山田様。 いつもお世話になっております。 この度は、〇〇の件でご連絡いたしました。 よろしくお願いいたします。 敬具 Translation: Dear Mr. Yamada, Thank you for your continued support. I am contacting you regarding the matter of 〇〇. Thank you in advance. Sincerely, ⚫︎ 〇〇株式会社　人事部御中 いつも大変お世話になっております。 この度は、貴社への応募につきまして、ご連絡申し上げます。 面接の機会を頂けましたら幸いです。 敬具 Translation: To the Human Resources Department, 〇〇 Corporation, Thank you very much for your continued support. I am writing to you regarding my application to your company. I would be grateful if I could have an interview. Sincerely,

⚫︎ 敬具 is primarily used at the end of formal letters and emails. ⚫︎ It is generally suitable for business correspondence, letters of introduction, and any other communication where a degree of formality and respect is desired. ⚫︎ In modern usage, it's very common, especially in business settings, even if the body of the message is relatively informal. ⚫︎ Avoid using it in extremely casual communication, such as emails to close friends or family members.

⚫︎ 敬具 is always written in kanji. ⚫︎ The reading is けいぐ (hiragana). ⚫︎ There is no variation in the okurigana. The word is always 敬具. ⚫︎ This word is not written in katakana.

⚫︎ 草々 (そうそう) - A more casual ending, but still polite, often used in short notes. ⚫︎ かしこ (かしこまり) - A very polite ending, showing deference. Typically used by women. ⚫︎ 以上 (いじょう) - Means "That's all" and used in brief and less formal situations.

⚫︎ There are no direct antonyms for 敬具 in terms of a closing salutation. The opposite would be an impolite or informal ending.

〇〇様 お元気でお過ごしのことと存じます。 先日、〇〇の件について、ご相談させていただきました。 その節は、誠にありがとうございました。 今後とも、どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 敬具 ・Translation: Dear Mr./Ms. 〇〇, I hope you are doing well. I consulted with you the other day regarding the matter of 〇〇. Thank you very much for your help at that time. I look forward to our continued relationship. Sincerely, ・Explanation: This is a typical business or formal letter ending with 敬具. It expresses gratitude and maintains a respectful tone.

いつも大変お世話になっております。 この度はお忙しい中、ご尽力いただき、誠にありがとうございます。 詳細につきましては、追ってご報告いたします。 今後とも、どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。 敬具 ・Translation: Thank you very much for your continued support. Thank you very much for your efforts despite your busy schedule. I will report the details later. I look forward to our continued relationship. Sincerely, ・Explanation: This sentence shows appreciation to the recipient and ends politely using 敬具. It is suitable for business situations.

The word 敬具 is composed of two kanji: 敬(kei) which means "respect," "reverence," or "esteem," and 具(gu) which means "with," or "to prepare." Therefore, the meaning conveys the idea of preparing or delivering the message with respect.