Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A Japanese battle cry or patriotic cheer.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- In Japan, a shout of patriotic joy or encouragement: somewhat like the English hurrah. Often used, in English books, as a noun.
Wiktionary
- adj. Thrill-seeking; wild.
- interj. A cry or cheer of enthusiasm, or to celebrate victory.
GNU Webster's 1913
- interj. Lit., May you live ten thousand years; -- used in salutation of the emperor and as a battle cry.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a Japanese cheer of enthusiasm or triumph
Etymologies
- Japanese, (may you live) ten thousand years : ban, ten thousand (from Middle Chinese muanh, uan) + zai, year (from Middle Chinese swiajh, suaj).
Examples
“At Grand Rounds one morning, he showed us slide after slide of his success stories, post-op patients in what he called the banzai position: arms raised high, standing on one leg.”
“Now from Guadalcanal and out to the jungle islands and so on, the Japanese military doctrine was destruction of the enemy at the water's edge, and the tactic they used was what we call the banzai charge.”
“So he will go for the maximum demands bare-headed — what a commenter prevously called a banzai charge.”
“Originally, Kring wanted to use the word 'banzai', but Masi lobbied against it for its war-like connotations, and 'yatta' was selected.”
“On this latter occasion the ministers are said to have "uttered reiterated cries of 'banzai'" *, which has come into vogue once more in modern times as the equivalent of "hurrah.”
A History of the Japanese People From the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era
“When the Japs pulled one of their so-called banzai charges, we’d just sit there and mow ’em down.”
“In one scene which has Korean board goers particularly riled, Hetalia's Korea says to Japan (both are male): "Let me touch your breasts", after which Korea grabs the chest of Japan, screaming "banzai".”
“Monday morning news broadcasts ran nonstop coverage of the election blowout, with winning politicians leading their supporters in cheers of "banzai" and solemn shots of grim-faced lawmakers that had been ousted.”
Gaea Times (by Simple Thoughts) Breaking News and incisive views 24/7
“Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Sadakazu Tanigaki (top 6th L) raises his hands with his parliamentarians as he shouts "banzai" (cheers) after he was elected head of the LDP at the party headquarters in politics, for the recent change of government was aimed at transforming Japan's”
WN.com - Articles related to Hatoyama's DPJ 'set to win two upper house seats'
sionnach BANZAI : Japanese war-cry, 1893, literally "(may you live) ten thousand years," originally a greeting addressed to the emperor, from ban "ten thousand" + sai "year." Apr 19, 2008