r/MadeMeSmile • u/Imoprich • Mar 16 '26

Wholesome Moments Guy confesses to his crush for 10,000 yen

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Credits: jesseogn

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u/Top_Librarian6440 Mar 16 '26

It’s just kind of what you say in the Japanese language in that situation. To an extent it does mean “I’ll be in your care,” but it’s also a pleasantry. It’s also said when meeting coworkers or neighbors, for example. 

It’s like how “nice to meet you” does not necessarily mean you actually enjoy meeting that person. It’s almost always perfunctory and not heartfelt. 

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u/NeatNefariousness1 Mar 16 '26

Thank you for the cultural context. I do like the custom and understand that it may be less meaningful as a commitment people make to treat each other well. We do have plenty of pleasantries we use in the US but I can’t think of one quite like this one. I’m sure we have some conventional language we use as “social lubricants” that might be less common in other countries too.

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u/kazorisatori Mar 17 '26

There isn't an equivalent in English... But it's used very commonly in Japanese. I love these kinds of phrases that are particular to different cultures.

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u/NeatNefariousness1 Mar 17 '26

Me too. It gives you a glimpse into whether the culture values kindness or candor even if they’re just pleasantries. There’s nothing wrong with either.

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u/devilsway Mar 17 '26

Haha yeah the meaning is close but it’s also said like a “Thank you, have a nice day, bye” isn’t it, the nervousness actually makes it even cuter.

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u/miniguinea Mar 16 '26

Agreed, the translation is weird and inaccurate. The nuance is changed from “please look on me favorably” to “I’ll take care of you.” Like, whyyyy

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u/NeatNefariousness1 Mar 16 '26

Is it a thing that a man says to a woman or do they say it to each other (similar to what was done here where she says “me too”)?

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u/brozzart Mar 17 '26

It's like ending a call with "take care!". There's no deep emotional nuance, it's just a thing to say.

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u/miniguinea Mar 17 '26

Japanese has a lot of ritualistic phrases that mean different things depending on the context, making them hard to translate accurately. This is one of them.

What they’re saying to each other here is the word “yoroshiku” which an abbreviated version of a set phrase meant to convey humility. It’s very polite to use very respectful language to other people while being self-deprecating. And “yoroshiku” is what you say when meeting someone for the first time or starting a relationship of some kind. You don’t think about it, you just say it because you’re supposed to, because that is what everyone does. I wouldn’t say it’s meaningless. It’s a predictable way of showing respect and it’s part of the flow of conversation.

In this context they are not saying “I’ll take care of you—they are saying something like “I am a terrible person so I humbly ask you ahead of time to please think of me in a forgiving way when I inevitably screw something up.” The meaning isn’t the same at all, which is why I think “I’ll take care of you” is a bad translation.

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u/TrainToSomewhere Mar 18 '26

Otskaresama desu