Itadakimasu: connotations of 戴 vs 頂?


Today I learned that itadaku can be written as 戴く or 頂く. According to
Tangorin, 頂 means "place on the head; receive; top of head; top; summit; peak"
and 戴 has the overlapping meaning "be crowned with; live under (a ruler);
receive."

When would you choose one over the other? Does it depend on the occasion?




None of the monolingual dictionaries I've looked up explains the difference.
In everyday writings, you can just stick to 頂く when it's used as a normal
verb, and (～て)いただく when it's used as a subsidiary verb (because subsidiary
verbs are written in hiragana anyway).

戴く is not particularly difficult for native speakers, but this character was
not even a 常用漢字 [until
2010](https://www.coscom.co.jp/japanesekanji/newjoyo_bunrui.html), and even
after that いただく is _not_ listed as a kun-reading of this kanji.

[![From
常用漢字表](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mLtEt.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mLtEt.png)

So 戴く is one of those "alternative kanji" you may consider using instead of
common ones if you need to do some creative writings. Other such kanji include
唄う, 護る, 哭く, 往く and 訊く. There are hundreds of kanji that only basically
novelists and lyricists use on a regular basis. I think 戴く tends to look older
and more dignified.

Finally, there seem to be quite a few clickbait online articles which are
saying there is some deep and essential difference. Please ignore low-quality
articles which cite no authoritative references. Perhaps [this explanation by
ALC](https://www.alc.co.jp/jpn/article/faq/01/115.html) is worth reading.




None of the monolingual dictionaries I've looked up explains the difference.
In everyday writings, you can just stick to 頂く when it's used as a normal
verb, and (～て)いただく when it's used as a subsidiary verb (because subsidiary
verbs are written in hiragana anyway).

戴く is not particularly difficult for native speakers, but this character was
not even a 常用漢字 [until
2010](https://www.coscom.co.jp/japanesekanji/newjoyo_bunrui.html), and even
after that いただく is _not_ listed as a kun-reading of this kanji.

[![From
常用漢字表](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mLtEt.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mLtEt.png)

So 戴く is one of those "alternative kanji" you may consider using instead of
common ones if you need to do some creative writings. Other such kanji include
唄う, 護る, 哭く, 往く and 訊く. There are hundreds of kanji that only basically
novelists and lyricists use on a regular basis. I think 戴く tends to look older
and more dignified.

Finally, there seem to be quite a few clickbait online articles which are
saying there is some deep and essential difference. Please ignore low-quality
articles which cite no authoritative references. Perhaps [this explanation by
ALC](https://www.alc.co.jp/jpn/article/faq/01/115.html) is worth reading.

