Translation guide
Expressions of joy, triumph, or encouragement in Japanese, ranging from casual shouts to formal congratulations.
Expressing spontaneous joy, excitement, or triumph in informal situations.
The most common casual exclamation meaning 'I did it!' or 'Yay!'. Used when something goes well or you succeed.
Hurray! I passed the exam!
A cute, childlike exclamation of delight, similar to 'yay' or 'woohoo'. Often used by children or in lighthearted contexts.
Hurray, a present!
A casual 'yay' or 'yeah!' borrowed from English, used in very informal settings among friends.
A traditional, enthusiastic cheer often used in groups to celebrate or wish long life/prosperity.
Cheering someone on, like 'you can do it!' or 'go for it!'.
From English 'hooray', used as a cheer of encouragement, similar to 'go!' or 'come on!'. Often repeated.
Expressing congratulations in a more formal or polite manner, often in speeches or written messages.
やった is a personal, spontaneous 'I did it!'. 万歳 is a traditional group cheer often used at celebrations or political rallies. フレー is specifically for cheering someone on, like at a sports event.
Hurray! I won the lottery!
Hurray! We won!
Literally 'ten thousand years', used as a hearty 'hurrah' or 'long live...!' Often shouted three times with arms raised.
Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!
Hurray! Hurray! (Go! Go!)
Means 'do your best' or 'go for it'. While not a direct translation of 'hurray', it serves a similar encouraging function.
Hurray! Almost there! (lit. Do your best! Just a little more!)
The standard polite way to say 'congratulations'. Used in formal settings or to show respect.
Congratulations on your graduation. (Hurray for your graduation!)
万歳！日本万歳！
Hurray! Long live Japan!
Hurray! Hurray! Red team!
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'hurray'. Using 万歳 in a casual personal success sounds overly dramatic. Use やった for personal triumphs and 万歳 only for group celebrations or formal cheers.