Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| cam pôi | |
| sự cạn ly | |
| nâng cốc chúc mừng | [nəŋ˧˧ kəwk͡p̚˧˦ t͡ɕʊwk͡p̚˧˦ mɨŋ˨˩] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
You might use Dô! for a simple, informal shout or the colloquial chant một, hai, ba, dô! to initiate a group toast. In social drinking settings, people often use the phrase Trăm phần trăm! which literally means 'one hundred percent' and serves as an equivalent to 'Cheers!'
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cạn ly in the form sự cạn ly literally means 'to empty the glass', which is a way to express 'bottoms up' or 'finish your drink' during a toast.
Which one should you use?
The term cam pôi is a casual exclamation used during drinking. In contrast, nâng cốc chúc mừng is a formal verb phrase used specifically to describe the act of toasting or celebrating.
When do people say it?
Vietnamese drinking culture often involves group participation. It is common to hear people chant một, hai, ba, dô! (one, two, three, cheers!) to get everyone synchronized for a toast.
Did you know?
- To show respect during a toast, a younger person will often clink the rim of their glass slightly lower than the rim of an older person's glass.
- The term cạn ly comes from the word cạn, which is cognate with the Old Chinese word for 'dry' or 'drought'.
- When people say Trăm phần trăm!, it is not just a toast but a social challenge to drink the entire glass without stopping.
Example sentences for Vietnamese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Nam and Mai are having dinner at a restaurant.
- NamChúc mừng sinh nhật Mai, cam pôi!Happy birthday Mai, cheers!
- MaiCảm ơn Nam nhiều nhé!Thank you so much, Nam!
- NamUống hết ly này luôn nào.Let's drink the whole glass.
- MaiĐược thôi, cam pôi!Alright, cheers!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (nâng, cốc, chúc, mừng) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cam, cạn, cốc, sự, CC BY-SA 4.0.
