banzai

American  

[bahn-zahy, bahn-, bahn-dzah-ee] / bɑnˈzaɪ, ˈbɑn-, ˈbɑnˈdzɑ i /

interjection

1. (used as a Japanese patriotic cry or joyous shout.)

2. (used as a Japanese battle cry.)

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adjective

1. leading to likely or inevitable death; suicidal.

   a banzai attack by Japanese troops in the last days of World War II.

banzai British  

/ ˈbɑːnzaɪ, bɑːnˈzaɪ /

interjection

1. a patriotic cheer, battle cry, or salutation

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Etymology

Origin of banzai

1890–95; < Japanese, equivalent to ban ten thousand + -zai, combining form of sai years of age (< Middle Chinese, akin to Chinese wàn-suì, Korean manse )

Example Sentences

Last September, hundreds of people gathered at a court in Shizuoka, a city on Japan's south coast, where a judge handed down the acquittal - to loud cheers of "banzai", or "hurray" in Japanese.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2025

The Japanese fired mortars and large artillery ahead of banzai charges by fearless soldiers willing to run into the Americans’ Browning machine guns.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024

“We decided it must be a banzai attack,” Gibbs recalled.

From Washington Times • Feb. 1, 2020

John Sidur rescued two hometown buddies during Japan’s largest banzai attack of the war, near the end of the Battle of Saipan in July 1945.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 19, 2017

To all units: Be on the alert for banzai attacks.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac