Banzai is a Japanese word almost same meaning with English word "Long live the king!!".
Direct translation is "10000 years!". Thus, it can be applied not only to emperors but to anybody anything.
The word was invented about a hundred years ago in the period of Meiji emperor era, the era when Japan opened to the world and rapidly modernized and defeated China and Russia at wars.
Ever since the word is commonly used by Japanese peopele when some good fortune occured to them in private life to official matters. Nowadays the word is nothing to do with emperors.
To Americans, banzai became familiar with the scenes of Japanese soldiers shouting when they won battles or when they committed suicidal and kamikaze attakcs. As old Japanese society never allowed Japanese to surrender, they had no choices but die, and the last moment they shout "banzai".
When somebody marry, people would shout "Banzai".
When accepted by a great University, a student would say "Banzai".
by ramunaka I submitted a moment ago. I prefer not to use real name October 27, 2007
Japanese word "banzai" means "10000 years" that is exactly same menaing with "Long live the king!" or "Long live".
"Ban" means "10000". "Zai" means "years".
by ramunenakayama November 04, 2007
You idiots. I am a Japanese. Only showing wrong definition in urbain dictionary by idiot American's discription.
Banzai means in Japanese 10000 years that means Long live the King.
by ramunenakayama November 09, 2007
1. A suicidal call, or simply a battlecry of Japanese origin.
2. A moderately funny TV show on Channel 4 UK TV. Uses sounds and music from the famous Bruce Lee film, Enter The Dragon.
by Comrade Dmitri March 06, 2004
When you're getting a blowjob from some girl, and you tell her you feel like you finished. Then she gets confused, takes it out, and scream "BANZAI!" in her face and explode in her eye.
by inthelifeofnorris October 27, 2008
The other definitions of this word are also right, but the word banzai is used as a symbol of cheer. Banzai basically means "hands up" but in a cheerful way. When you put your hands up and say banzai, it's more of a "YAAAAAYYY" than a "hands up".
by kinako January 14, 2021
An awesome Japanese show on FOX that features such great events as squirrel fishing, baby racing, and the Shake Hands man.
by dammit May 31, 2004