萬歲

See also: 万歳 and 万岁

Chinese

Chinese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

		ten thousand; a great number; surname	year; years old; (a measure word)
trad. (萬歲)		萬	歲
simp. (万岁)		万	岁
Literally: “ten thousand years”.

Verb

萬歲

1. to long live (in exclamations); may ... have a long life; hooray

   祖國萬歲！／祖国万岁！  ―  Zǔguó wànsuì!  ―  Long live the motherland!

   吾皇萬歲萬歲萬萬歲！ [MSC, trad.]
   吾皇万岁万岁万万岁！ [MSC, simp.]

   Wúhuáng wànsuì wànsuì wànwànsuì! [Pinyin]

   [May] my Emperor [live and reign for] ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand of ten thousand years! (chant in imperial Chinese courts)

2. (Cantonese, colloquial) to treat or shout others to a meal

Usage notes

Traditionally, the phrase ten thousand years is only reserved for the emperors, while empress consorts and empresses dowager are addressed with the phrase thousand years (千歲／千岁). In modern times, this is also applied to leaders of a country, the country itself, as well as being used as a general expression of enthusiasm.

Noun

(deprecated template usage) 萬歲

1. (historical) Your Majesty; the emperor

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (萬歲):

• → Japanese: 万歳(ばんざい) (banzai); 万歳(まんざい) (manzai)
• → Korean: 만세(萬歲) (manse)
• → Vietnamese: vạn tuế (萬歲)

Others:

• Vietnamese: muôn tuổi, muôn năm (calques)

(deprecated template usage)

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Japanese

Kanji in this term
萬	歲
ばん Jinmeiyō	ぜい Hyōgaiji
on’yomi

Proper noun

1. Kyūjitai form of 万歳 (“long live”)

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Korean

Hanja in this term
萬	歲

Noun

萬歲 • (manse) (hangeul 만세)

1. Hanja form^? of 만세 (“long live”).

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Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
萬	歲

Noun

萬歲

1. chữ Hán form of vạn tuế (“long live”).