万歳
banzai[bã̠nd͡za̠i]
The English phrase 'hooray' can be translated into Japanese as 万歳 (banzai) or やった.
Meaning: elated expression of approval (intj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 万歳 | banzai | [bã̠nd͡za̠i] (narrow) [bã̠nd͡ze̞ː] (narrow) |
| やった | yatta | [ja̠t̚ta̠] (narrow) |
万歳 is an elated expression of approval. やった is a popular informal expression used to convey excitement or a sense of accomplishment, similar to saying 'I did it!' or 'Yay!'
What does it mean word for word?
The term 万歳 literally means 'ten thousand years'.
Which one should you use?
The form やった is used to express personal achievement or success, similar to saying "I did it!" or "Yay!"
How do you pronounce it?
banzai
Did you know?
- When shouting 万歳, it is customary to raise both arms straight up into the air.
- During World War II, 万歳 was used as a rallying cry for suicide charges, creating a dark historical association with the phrase.
- Despite meaning 'hooray', やった is grammatically the past tense of the verb やる, meaning 'to do'.
Examples in context
- 万歳！Hooray!This sentence is useful for learning how to use the exclamation 万歳.Tatoeba #4443329 by chihiro, translation #943665 by U2FS
- やった！Hooray! or I did it!
- すごい！Hooray! or Wow!
- 優勝、万歳！yuushou, banzai!Hooray for the victory!
- 試験合格、万歳！shiken goukaku, banzai!Hooray, I passed the exam!
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are celebrating a win in a video game.
- 蓮 Ren勝ったぞ！万歳！katta zo! banzai!We won! Hooray!
- 結衣 Yui本当にやったね、蓮くん！hontou ni yatta ne, ren-kun!We really did it, Ren!
- 蓮 Ren最高に嬉しいよ！saikou ni ureshii yo!I'm so happy!
- 結衣 Yui私も嬉しいよ！watashi mo ureshii yo!I'm happy too!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hooray” translations and entries 万歳, やった, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries やった, 万歳, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
