Cheers in Japanese is 乾杯 (kanpai), literally "dry the cup". Everyone says it together with glasses raised, before anyone takes the first sip; at work drinks, wait for the person giving the toast. After a working day, people often add お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu). Kanpai is only a toast: it never means thanks or goodbye like British "cheers".
- The toast
- 乾杯 (kanpai)
- After work
- お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu)
- Offering to pour
- どうぞ (dōzo)
- Literal meaning
- "Dry the cup"
- Level
- A1
When do Japanese people say kanpai?
Once, at the start. At a 飲み会 (nomikai, drinking party) or a work dinner, drinks arrive, someone senior or the organiser says a few words, and the speech ends with a cue for everyone to shout kanpai together. Among friends the cue is simply a raised glass.
| Japanese | Romaji | When you hear it |
|---|---|---|
| 乾杯！ | kanpai! | Any toast, formal or casual |
| かんぱーい！ | kanpāi! | Stretched and cheerful, among friends |
| それでは、乾杯！ | sore de wa, kanpai! | "And so, cheers!": the end of an opening speech |
| お疲れ様です！ | otsukaresama desu! | Glasses up with colleagues after work |
| 二人の未来に乾杯！ | futari no mirai ni kanpai! | "To the couple's future!": a wedding toast |
| 新しい仕事に乾杯！ | atarashii shigoto ni kanpai! | "To the new job!" |
To toast something, put it before に乾杯: the に means "to". After the first round, people do not usually toast again with each drink.
What is the etiquette around the first toast?
- Wait. Drinking before the kanpai, even a sip, is the classic faux pas.
- You do not have to drink alcohol. Raise oolong tea or juice and join in; nobody expects an explanation.
- At work, people junior in rank often clink with their glass slightly lower than a senior's.
- Pour for others, not yourself. When your neighbour's glass is low, offer to top it up; they will usually return the favour.
That pouring ritual runs on one small word, どうぞ (dōzo), "please, go ahead". You will hear it as soon as you sit down at any Japanese table.
どうぞ。
Dōzo.
Here you go.
Holding the bottle towards someone's glass.
お注ぎします。
Otsugi shimasu.
Let me pour for you.
Polite, to a senior or a guest.
もう一杯どうですか。
Mō ippai dō desu ka.
How about another one?
お酒は飲めないんです。
Osake wa nomenai n desu.
I can't drink alcohol.
A complete, accepted reason; no need to say more.
ウーロン茶でお願いします。
Ūroncha de onegai shimasu.
Oolong tea for me, please.
Can you say kanpai to mean thanks or bye?
No. British English uses "cheers" for thanks and for goodbye; Japanese keeps 乾杯 for raised glasses. Say kanpai to a shop assistant and you will get a puzzled smile.
どうも。
Dōmo.
Cheers (thanks).
A light, quick thank you.
じゃあね。
Jā ne.
Cheers (bye).
Casual goodbye to a friend.
For the full range, see how to say thank you in Japanese and how to say goodbye in Japanese.
Read free Japanese stories at A1, set in cafés, shops and family kitchens, with every word one tap from its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce kanpai?
"Kahm-pie". The n before p comes out close to an m, which is why you also see it spelled kampai. Both spellings are fine.
What does 乾杯 mean literally?
乾 means dry and 杯 means cup, so "dry the cup". Nobody expects you to empty your glass, though; a sip is enough.
What is a nomikai?
飲み会 (nomikai) is a drinking party, usually with colleagues, classmates or a club, held in an izakaya. It starts with the group kanpai.
Do Japanese people say kanpai with non-alcoholic drinks?
Yes. Kanpai is about the shared moment, not the alcohol: children toast with juice, and non-drinkers join in with tea.