The most common way to say “cheers” in Japanese is:

  • 乾杯 – かんぱい – kanpai → used in almost all casual and formal drinking situations, like “Cheers!” or “Bottoms up!”

You say it when everyone has their drink, raise your glass, make eye contact with the people around you, and say 「乾杯！」 before taking a sip.

Main ways to say “cheers”

  • 乾杯 (かんぱい / kanpai): Standard “cheers” when clinking glasses at parties, dinners, bars, work events.
  • お疲れ様です (おつかれさまです / otsukare sama desu): Literally “thanks for your hard work”; often said with the first drink after work, especially among coworkers.
  • おめでとう / おめでとうございます (omedetou / omedetou gozaimasu): Means “congratulations,” used as a toast when celebrating promotions, birthdays, weddings, etc.

Example mini-scene: After work in Tokyo, your team sits down, the boss raises a beer and says 「お疲れ様です。乾杯！」—everyone replies 「乾杯！」 and drinks.

When not to use kanpai

There is a special word used at somber occasions:

  • 献杯 (けんぱい / kenpai): A funeral or memorial “cheers,” used when drinking in honor of someone who has passed away.
* You raise your glass and say 「献杯」 in a quiet, respectful tone.

Because 献杯 is tied to mourning, you should not mix it up with 乾杯 in normal social drinking.

Tiny etiquette tips

  • Wait for someone (often the senior person) to lead the toast, then join in with 「乾杯！」.
  • Lightly touch glasses (or just raise your glass if it’s crowded), then take at least a small sip right after.
  • Among coworkers, saying 「お疲れ様です」 as you raise your glass before or together with 「乾杯」 sounds very natural.

Quick reference table (HTML)

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Expression Writing Romaji Natural English meaning Typical situation
乾杯 かんぱい kanpai Cheers! Any normal toast when drinking with others
お疲れ様です おつかれさまです otsukare sama desu Thanks for your hard work Office drinks, after work, said with the first drink
おめでとう / おめでとうございます おめでとう / おめでとうございます omedetou / omedetou gozaimasu Congratulations! Celebratory toasts: birthdays, promotions, weddings
献杯 けんぱい kenpai (Memorial toast) Funerals or memorials, honoring the deceased
**TL;DR:** In almost every situation, just raise your glass, smile, and say **「乾杯！」 (kanpai!)** to say “cheers” in Japanese.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.