"Hurray" is appropriate for expressing exclamation, victory, a joyful welcome, and encouragement
"Banzai" is a palpable word that must accompany a sense of purpose and is used in many Western European comics and anecdotes about the Pacific War. For example, a kamikaze pilot, sweat dripping down his face and a headband tied around his forehead, uttered the words "banzai" as he was about to launch a suicide attack by ramming his plane into an enemy plane. Even today, that ferocious shout evokes in many Western Europeans the image of warlike Japan during the Japanese War, closely associated with geisha and even harakiri—both of which are among the numerous Japanese words that have become part of the Western European vernacular.
Despite this, Westerners still have a misunderstanding of the Japanese concept of "banzai," which is that the word not only predates the development of the Japanese language (it is a Chinese word). This word actually means "may you live long." Most of us are amazed. If this understanding reaches a tender heart, they will be even more impressed. While we know the cry of "banzai" on the battlefield, very few people know its use in times of peace. Several years ago, I accompanied a friend on a train from Tokyo to Nagoya Station, traveling from Tokyo to Nagoya Station, where I work as a lecturer at the university. Three banzai shouts could be heard from the opposite platform. He immediately noticed that the train was headed for Tokyo. He immediately stepped forward, right in the middle of the crowd. He stood trembling and helpless, his mouth agape as he stared intently at them. But eventually, he began to ask a humorous question. However, there was a strange look in his eyes. "Sir, is that group after this...?"
Isn't it funny to see his face, clearly confused, searching for an answer? A polite, lonely elderly Japanese man shamelessly approached him and smiled with pity. He explained that the people were escorting his friend who was moving to their company's Tokyo office, known as headquarters, together shouting banzai three times to celebrate his promotion (moving to the capital is definitely for a promotion) and to pray for his future life to begin filled with happiness.
However, my friend doubted this explanation. As he descended the station stairs, he regretted it and still couldn't understand why people were heading to Tokyo, accompanied by the sounds of battlefield cries.
DATA SOURCE: Jene Rene Choller
