"gambatte kudasai" in Japanese is like "please do your best". What is the subtle meaning behind it? This is actually a follow-up question from https://www.italki.com/question/166631 I was wondering about the subtle meaning behind it, rather than the translation. If I'm correct 'kudasai' means 'please' in the form of a request (taken from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-difference-between-kudasai-and-onegaishimasu-3572604) I think in English, adding "please" means you're involved yourself too. For example: your boss telling you "do your best please" for a speech probably means that he wishes the speech would go well, because a failure would influence him as well. Just saying "do your best" leaves out that subtle addition of self-involvement. So my follow-up question: do the Japanese then also include the wish, expectation or self-involvement of the person who says it? Or is the Japanese form of please in 'gambatte kudasai' used in a more altruistic way? (so more like: "do your best, and I really wish for YOU to succeed").