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What is the difference between 気{き}をつけて, お大事{だいじ}に and お元気{げんき}で.

How and in which context(s) are they used?
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2012-07-03T12:04:07.430
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2014-05-16T06:29:08.340
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question
word-choice set-phrases
Difference between 気をつけて, お大事に and お元気で
お元気で could be paraphrased as

> これからもずっと元気であるように

お元気で would be used when you won't see someone for a while and you are
basically saying "stay healthy".

気をつけて could be paraphrased as

> 注意をするように

気をつけて is used when seeing someone off, in other words, you know the person is
from this point on is going on a trip overseas, or is going to get in their
car and drive home. It implies the idea of "be careful on your trip (or when
driving home)".

So to distinguish the two, if you are not sure what the person is going to be
doing from the point you part ways, お元気で would be more appropriate.

お元気に as Chocolate mentions is not used by itself like that. However, you could
see it in phrases like 早くお元気になってください or お元気になさっていますか.
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2012-05-16T01:48:54.127
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* [`気をつけて`](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E6%B0%97%E3%82%92%E3%81%A4%E3%81%91%E3%81%A6/UTF-8/): "take care", "be careful" (is more generic than the other ones, for example it can be used in `足元に気をつけて` "watch your step")
  * [`お大事に`](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%81%8A%E5%A4%A7%E4%BA%8B%E3%81%AB/UTF-8/): "get well soon" (often said to people recovering from illness etc, literally something like "treat (yourself) with value/respect/care")
  * [`お元気で`](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%81%8A%E5%85%83%E6%B0%97%E3%81%A7/UTF-8/): "be well/healthy", "all the best", "take care of yourself"
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2012-07-03T12:57:36.080
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I normally say 気をつけて when I part from someone going/traveling somewhere or
going home, お大事に to someone sick/ill/injured etc., and お元気で when I part from
someone who's older/superior to me, like my senpai, teacher, professor,
boss... お元気で sounds more polite than 元気でね so I'd say 元気でね to my
friends/coworkers/family/relatives.
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2012-07-03T13:02:02.820
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お元気で/[達者]{たっしゃ}で is used when you won't meet the person for a long time. You
don't say it friday night if you meet them next week. You say it when someone
is leaving for long terms.
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2012-07-04T01:05:01.430
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