万歳

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See also: 萬歲 and 万岁

Japanese

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Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
万 歳
ばん
Grade: 2 		さい > ざい
Grade: S
kan'on goon
Alternative spelling
萬歲 (kyūjitai)

Shift in reading from 万(ばん)歳(ぜい) (banzei) below, keeping the older goon reading for the second character and adopting the relatively newer kan'on reading for the first character. Doublet of マンセー (mansē).

Pronunciation

Noun

万(ばん)歳(ざい) • (banzai) 

  1. an extremely long period of time
    • 1936, “第五章　母音と父音 [Chapter 5: Vowels and Consonants]”, in 誰にも分かる獨習英語の學び方 [Self-Taught English for Everyone], 英語研究会, page 30:
      大(だい)日(にっ)本(ぽん)帝(てい)國(こく)萬(ばん)歲(ざい)！
      Dai Nippon Teikoku banzai!
      Long live the Japanese Empire!
  2. (raising one's hands three times in cheer) raising ones hands
  3. (raising one's hands in defeat) business troubles, bankruptcy

Interjection

万(ばん)歳(ざい) • (banzai) 

  1. an expression of celebration
Synonyms
Descendants
  • → English: banzai
  • → Indonesian: banzai

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
万 歳
ばん
Grade: 2 		せい > ぜい
Grade: S
kan'on
Alternative spelling
萬歲 (kyūjitai)

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “see Wiktionary:Requests for cleanup#万歳”)

From Middle Chinese 萬歲 (MC mjonH sjwejH). The kan'on, so likely a later borrowing.

Pronunciation

Noun

万(ばん)歳(ぜい) • (banzei) 

  1. an extremely long period of time
  2. long life and glory
  3. death

Interjection

万(ばん)歳(ぜい) • (banzei) 

  1. an expression of celebration

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
万 歳
まん
Grade: 2 		さい > ざい
Grade: S
goon
Alternative spelling
萬歲 (kyūjitai)

From Middle Chinese 萬歲 (MC mjonH sjwejH). The goon, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

Noun

万(まん)歳(ざい) • (manzai) 

  1. an extremely long period of time
  2. (historical) alternative form of 萬歳 (“Edo manzai (a traditional New Year performance)”)
  3. a song and dance to celebrate a new year
  4. a song sung to celebrate a new year

Interjection

万(まん)歳(ざい) • (manzai) 

  1. an expression of celebration

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
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