乾杯
kanpai[kã̠mpa̠i]
The English phrase 'salud' is translated into Japanese as 乾杯 (kanpai).
乾杯 is used as a toast to signal the start of drinking or to celebrate a specific occasion.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 乾杯 literally means "dry cup".
How do you pronounce it?
kanpai
Did you know?
- If you are drinking with much higher-ranking officials, you might avoid clinking your glass against theirs. Instead, you can aim to touch the rim of your glass lower than theirs to show respect.
- The kanji for 'dry' in 乾杯 is the same character used in the word for 'sun-dried' or 'dried fruit'.
- Japanese culture has a strong custom of 'nomication', a portmanteau of 飲み会 'drinking party' and 'communication', where 乾杯 serves as the official ice-breaker.
Examples in context
- 皆さん、乾杯！Minasan, kanpai!Everyone, cheers!
- お祝いの乾杯をしましょう。Oiwai no kanpai o shimashou.Let's have a toast to celebrate.
- まずは乾杯から始めましょう。Mazu wa kanpai kara hajimemashou.Let's start with a toast first.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are having a drink after work at a pub.
- 美咲 Misakiお疲れ様でした。乾杯しましょう！Otsukaresama deshita. Kanpai shimashou!Good work today. Let's toast!
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、乾杯！Hai, kanpai!Yes, cheers!
- 美咲 Misaki美味しいビールですね。Oishii biiru desu ne.The beer is delicious, isn't it?
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に、最高です。Hontou ni, saikou desu.It really is, it's the best.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 乾杯, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
