No matter where in the world you visit, ‘cheers’ is one of the most useful phrases to learn in a country’s local language!
There is a sense of community and warmth when a group of people come together and clink their glasses, toasting to health, to congratulate or even to remember someone. You may even just toast to a good night!
The basic way to say ‘cheers!’ in Japanese is kanpai ! (乾杯 / かんぱい). Learn this simple word, and you’re all sorted to go drinking in Japan.
But if you want to mix it up, there are a few other ways to make a toast in Japanese. We’ll go through them below.
Although usually associated with alcoholic beverages, there are no real rules when it comes to saying cheers.
So whether it’s beer or coca cola, bottoms up!
Ways to say cheers in Japanese
Kanpai
乾杯
Cheers
Kanpai is the standard word for ‘cheers’ in Japanese.
It literally translates as ‘empty cup’ or ‘dry cup’! The meaning of the phrase seems to encourage one to finish their beverage in order to leave an ‘empty/dry cup’.
Some European countries insist on eye contact when cheersing, while others have a habit of tapping the glass on the table after clinking and before taking the first sip. But Japan does not have such customs, and simply employs the bare minimum gesture of raising your glass to your peers’ and enthusiastically saying kanpai ! (乾杯 / かんぱい).
To show good Japanese etiquette and respect your drinking buddies, remember to wait until everyone has a drink and say kanpai! before taking your first sip.
Here’s the pronunciation:
Otsukaresama
お疲れ様
Well done
If you find yourself out for drinks with work colleagues after a long day in the office, you can use the phrase otsukaresama deshita (お疲れさまでした / おつかれさまでした) to mean ‘cheers’!
You may understand ostukaresama (shortened version) as meaning ‘thank you/well done, for your hard work’. It is also suitable for use in this situation, when workers are winding down with a drink after being diligent and dedicated employees all day.
Omedetou
おめでとう
Congratulations
Another way to make a toast to someone is by directly congratulating them. Congratulations in Japanese is omedetou gozaimasu (おめでとうございます). You can say omedetou for short.
This can be used by raising a glass to dedicate a toast to the happy couple at a wedding, or anyone else celebrating a worthy achievement!
Banzai
バンザイ
Hurray
Banzai (バンザイ / ばんざい), although not as common as kanpai, can also be used to express ‘cheers’ in modern Japanese.
Banzai is an interjection that is similar to ‘hooray’ or ‘hurrah’ in English. It used to be a traditional Japanese battle cry. These days it is more simply a cheer of enthusiasm or triumph.
When you exclaim banzai it is also customary to raise your two arms in the air. As a child my mother used to yell banzai when helping me take off/put on my jumper!
So, if the good vibes and drinks are flowing you can switch it up from the usual phrase kanpai and opt for the traditional cheer, banzai, to be a little different!
Karii
カリー
Cheers (Okinawan dialect)
While kanpai has the meaning of ‘cheers’ in Japanese standard dialect, karii (カリー / かりー) is ‘cheers’ in the Okinawan regional language.
Okinawa is Japan’s southernmost prefecture. It is famous for its tropical nature and blue waters. It is also home to many American expats as it houses multiple US army bases.
So, if you ever find yourself sharing a few drinks in Okinawa, be sure to fit in with the locals and use the phrase karii!
Other Japanese drinking phrases
Drink, drink, drink!
Nonde (飲んで / のんで) is the imperative form of the verb ‘to drink’. You may hear this being shouted in a musical rhythm by drunken patrons at the bar. Not so much of a ‘cheers’ but more so a fun invitation or provocation to start drinking nonetheless.
Japanese drinking chants
If you find yourself at a bar or izakaya which is frequented by Japanese university students, you might just hear them singing nomikai no kooru (飲み会のコール / のみかいのこーる), known in English as ‘drinking calls’ or ‘drinking chants’.
Example:
Nani motteno? Nani motteno? Nomi tarinai kara motteno!
何持ってんの？何持ってんの？飲み足りないから持ってんの！
なんにもってんの？なんにもってんの？のみたりないからもってんの！
What is in your hand? What is in your hand? You haven’t drank enough, so your drink is in your hand!
If you are nursing your drink for too long, you may get hit with this drinking chant and have to finish your drink in one!
Drink up!
For all Japanese learners who love a drink, now you’re all ready to hit the bars in Japan and drink like a local!
Just remember that the most common way to say cheers! is kanpai. But you have several other options to toast your friends, if you want to mix it up.
Want to learn more essential Japanese phrases? Our top recommended course is JapanesePod101. It’s free!
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- 30+ Basic Japanese Phrases for Travelers to Japan
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Hannah is a half Irish/half Japanese girl living in Ireland. Her love for Japan and the Japanese language led her to studying languages and translation in university where she specialised in Japanese. She spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. In her free time, Hannah enjoys using her sewing machine to upcycle clothes and create new pieces!