expression, noun
casual way of speaking; colloquial expression
Refers to informal, everyday speech or phrasing, as opposed to polite or formal language.
「ありがとう」は「ありがとうございます」のくだけた言い方です。
"Arigatou" is a casual way of saying "arigatou gozaimasu."
友達と話すときは、くだけた言い方を使うことが多い。
When talking with friends, I often use casual expressions.
Compound of 砕けた (kudaketa, 'broken down, informal') + 言い方 (iikata, 'way of speaking'). The verb 砕ける (kudakeru) means 'to break' or 'to become familiar', giving the sense of language that is relaxed and not stiff.