もてなす・持て成すmotenasu[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. godan verb, transitive verbto treat (a guest); to receive; to entertain; to be hospitable to; to make welcome
   主人しゅじんはパーティーで私達わたしたちをもてなしてくれた。↗

   The host entertained us at the party.

• Synonym接待せったいNeutralEntertaining guests, especially corporate wining and dining; also serving tea to the public. 「持て成す」 stresses sincere, thoughtful hospitality.
• Synonym饗応きょうおうWrittenWritten/formal: entertaining with food and drink; can also mean bribing with food and drink. 「持て成す」 is warmer and not limited to food and drink.
• Synonym饗するきょうするWrittenWritten/formal: to feast or treat someone to food and drink; rare. 「持て成す」 is more common and covers a wider range.
• Related歓迎かんげいNeutralWelcoming someone gladly; about the greeting itself. 「持て成す」 is about the thoughtful care shown after the guest arrives.
• Related迎えるむかえるNeutralTo meet or welcome someone arriving, or to take someone in as a member. 「持て成す」 is about the hospitality shown after receiving them.
• Related扱うあつかうNeutralTo deal with or handle people and things, also to operate machines. 「持て成す」 focuses on warmly entertaining guests.
• Related振舞うふるまうNeutralTo treat someone to food or drink; also to behave or act. 「持て成す」 covers the whole guest experience, not just food and drink.
• Relatedご馳走ごちそうNeutralTreating someone to a meal; also a feast or fine food, usually as 「ご馳走する」. 「持て成す」 is about hospitality as a whole.
• Related遇するぐうするWrittenWritten/formal: to treat or handle people with a certain manner; rare. 「持て成す」 refers specifically to warm hospitality for guests.
• Related馳走ちそうNeutralTreating someone to food; also running about. Usually seen in 「ご馳走」; standing alone is uncommon. 「持て成す」 covers full hospitality.
• Antonym粗末に扱うそまつにあつかうNeutralTo treat people or things roughly, without care — the opposite of the warm hospitality of 「持て成す」.

Use 「持て成す」 for treating guests with warm, thoughtful hospitality, as in 「おもてなしの心」. For business wining and dining, say 「接待」; for treating someone to food or drink, 「振る舞う」 or 「ご馳走する」; for welcoming, 「歓迎」; in formal prose for feasting, 「饗応」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. （饗きょうす）饗応きょうおうする。御馳走ごちそうする。
2. （遇ぐうす・接せっす・待遇たいぐうす・欵待す・接待せったいす）人ひとを待遇たいぐうする。
3. 取り計とりはからう。取り持とりもつ。
4. （修飾しゅうしょくす）見せ掛みせかける。ふるまう。