Everyone lifts a glass. Hana freezes. Is she supposed to do something?
A classmate offers the translation she needs: kanpai means “cheers.” It is the word for a toast, a shared moment before drinking together.
How to use it
At a group toast, raise your glass with the others and say “Kanpai!” In a casual setting, the whole exchange may be that simple. More formal gatherings can include a short speech before the toast. Waiting for the group’s opening toast is a useful cue to follow. Source: JNTO
Japanese: 乾杯！
Reading: かんぱい！ · Kanpai!
English: Cheers!
What Hana discovers
Hana’s first problem is the timing. Everyone seems to know what is happening except her. Once someone explains the word, she can join in with just one hesitant “…Kanpai?”
Her thought: Oh. Not a duel.
The joke belongs to Hana’s startled reaction. The people around her are simply inviting her into the moment.
A toast is a shared moment
For your own toast, choose a drink you’re comfortable with. HANA’s story does not treat drinking alcohol—or drinking a lot—as a test of belonging. You don’t need a complicated line to take part in the scene: the word and the gesture carry it.
If you’re unsure about the setting, watch the people you’re with. The scene in this episode is a casual meal with classmates, not a rulebook for every formal occasion.
Remember it
KANPAI = “Cheers!” at a toast.
Next in Hana’s story: OTOSHI, the small dish she didn’t order.
Related: NOMIKAI, a social drinking gathering.
乾杯！ · Kanpai!
Cheers!
Hana’s story is fictional. The linked sources support the language and cultural context. Practices can vary by setting.