好哇
hǎowā
The English phrase 'hooray' can be expressed in Chinese as 好哇 (hǎowā) or 万岁. Wiktionary also lists 萬歲 / 万岁 (wànsuì).
Meaning: elated expression of approval (intj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 好哇 | hǎowā |
| 萬歲 / 万岁 | wànsuì |
好哇 is typically used to express enthusiastic agreement to a suggestion or to react to good news in a casual setting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 万岁 literally translates to 'ten thousand years'.
Which one should you use?
While 好哇 is an informal exclamation of excitement or agreement, 万岁 is a much more formal and grand exclamation meaning 'long live' or 'hurrah' in a celebratory sense.
How do you pronounce it?
hǎowā
Did you know?
- While 万岁 is now a general cheer, it was historically reserved exclusively for the Emperor. Using it for anyone else would have been considered treason in imperial China.
- In Japanese, the word for 'ten thousand years' is 万歳 (banzai), which uses the same characters as the Chinese 万岁 and shares the same origin as a celebratory shout.
- The phrase 好哇 can sometimes sound slightly childish or overly enthusiastic depending on the tone. In adult professional settings, people are more likely to use a simple 好 or 太好了 to express similar excitement.
Examples in context
- 好哇！Hooray!The sentence is useful for practicing the exclamation 好哇.Tatoeba #943698 by U2FS, translation #943665 by U2FS
- 耶！我的生日派对很棒！Hooray! My birthday party was awesome!
Example conversation
Zhiqiang tells Jiayi that they can go to the park.
- 志强 Zhiqiang佳怡，我们去公园玩吧。Jiāyí, wǒmen qù gōngyuán wán ba.Jiayi, let's go play in the park.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好哇！我正想出去走走。Hǎo wa! Wǒ zhèng xiǎng chūqù zǒuzǒu.Hooray! I was just wanting to go for a walk.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我们现在出发。Nà wǒmen xiànzài chūfā.Then let's set off now.
- 佳怡 Jiayi太好了，走吧！Tài hǎole, zǒu ba!Great, let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hooray” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
