乾杯！
kanpai!
The English phrase "bottoms up" is translated into Japanese as 乾杯！ (kanpai!)
乾杯！ is used as a toast to say "Cheers!" or "Bottoms up!"
Meaning: Cheers! (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 乾杯 literally means "dry cup".
How do you pronounce it?
kanpai!
When do people say it?
In Japanese drinking culture, it is common practice to wait for everyone to be served before the person in charge calls out 乾杯 to begin the toast.
Did you know?
- When toasting in a business setting, it is polite to ensure your glass is slightly lower than that of your superior when clinking them together during the 乾杯.
- Although 乾杯 is the standard toast, you might hear people use the word お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu) to toast at the end of a workday, essentially saying 'thank you for your hard work'.
- The word 乾杯 is shared with Chinese, where it is pronounced gānbēi, reflecting the shared historical influence of kanji characters.
Examples in context
- 乾杯！Bottoms up!This sentence is useful for practicing the toast 乾杯！Tatoeba #184053 by bunbuku, translation #21180 by CM
- みんなで乾杯！Minna de kanpai!Let's all say cheers!
- さあ、乾杯！Saa, kanpai!Come on, cheers!
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are celebrating at a restaurant.
- 蓮 Ren今日は特別な日だね。乾杯！Kyou wa tokubetsu na hi da ne. Kanpai!Today is a special day. Cheers!
- 結衣 Yui乾杯！おめでとう、蓮さん。Kanpai! Omedetou, Ren-san.Cheers! Congratulations, Ren.
- 蓮 Renありがとう、結衣。Arigatou, Yui.Thank you, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui美味しいお酒だね。Oishii osake da ne.The alcohol is delicious.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
