Mandarin Chinese: Proposing a Formal Toast in Public (Brief Speech)
Learn to give a short, formal public toast in Mandarin Chinese: propose a toast, address guests politely, and close gracefully. Includes pinyin, tone marks, and register guidance for banquets and ceremonies.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
A toast speech (祝酒词, zhùjiǔcí) is a short, public, formal act: you stand, address the room, state a wish, and invite everyone to drink. This differs from celebrating a personal achievement, which is usually more informal and often focuses on the person being praised. Here you will learn fixed, polite formulas for proposing a toast, how to name the reason and the audience, and how to close so others can raise their glasses. The language is formulaic by design: short clauses, respectful pronouns, and a clear final invitation. You will practice Mandarin only, using simplified characters, pinyin with tone marks, and register-appropriate choices for banquets, weddings, and official dinners.
By the end, you can…
- open a formal toast by addressing guests politely and stating that I want to propose a toast.
- name the occasion or reason for the toast in one short sentence.
- invite everyone to raise their glasses and close the toast gracefully.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
各位来宾，大家好。
Distinguished guests, hello everyone.
gè wèi lái bīn, dà jiā hǎo
A formal, inclusive opening for banquets, weddings, or ceremonies. 各位 (gè wèi) is more respectful than 大家 alone.
我提议，为我们的合作干杯。
I propose a toast to our cooperation.
wǒ tí yì, wèi wǒ men de hé zuò gān bēi
The core toast formula: 我提议 (wǒ tí yì) + 为 (wèi) + reason + 干杯 (gān bēi). Use 干杯 to invite everyone to drink.
请允许我代表公司讲几句话。
Please allow me to say a few words on behalf of the company.
qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ dài biǎo gōng sī jiǎng jǐ jù huà
A polite, formal way to claim the floor. 请允许我 (qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ) softens the request; 代表 (dài biǎo) means 'on behalf of'.
祝大家身体健康、工作顺利。
I wish everyone good health and smooth work.
zhù dà jiā shēn tǐ jiàn kāng, gōng zuò shùn lì
A standard blessing pair used in toasts. 祝 (zhù) takes a person or group, then two parallel wishes.
来，我们一起举杯！
Come, let's raise our glasses together!
lái, wǒ men yì qǐ jǔ bēi
A warm, inclusive closing that signals the group to drink. 举杯 (jǔ bēi) literally means 'raise the glass'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The toast frame is: address + 我提议 (wǒ tí yì) + 为 (wèi) + reason + 干杯 (gān bēi). For example, 各位来宾，我提议，为我们的友谊干杯。 (gè wèi lái bīn, wǒ tí yì, wèi wǒ men de yǒu yì gān bēi) 'Distinguished guests, I propose a toast to our friendship.' You can replace the reason after 为 (wèi): 为健康 (wèi jiàn kāng) 'to health', 为合作 (wèi hé zuò) 'to cooperation', 为新人 (wèi xīn rén) 'to the newlyweds'. Keep the reason as a noun phrase; do not add a full sentence after 为. To soften, add 请允许我 (qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ) before 提议. To close, use 来，我们一起举杯！ (lái, wǒ men yì qǐ jǔ bēi) or 干杯！ (gān bēi).
When to use it
Use this formal toast when you speak publicly to a group: a company dinner, a wedding banquet, a conference reception, or an official meal. It is not for casual drinks with close friends, where a short 干杯 (gān bēi) or 走一个 (zǒu yí ge) is enough. It also differs from celebrating an achievement: an achievement speech often praises a specific person and may say 恭喜你 (gōng xǐ nǐ) 'congratulations to you', while a toast proposes a shared wish and invites everyone to drink. For a wedding, say 为新人干杯 (wèi xīn rén gān bēi) 'a toast to the newlyweds'. For business, say 为我们的合作干杯 (wèi wǒ men de hé zuò gān bēi) 'a toast to our cooperation'. Keep it to two or three sentences; a long speech is not a toast.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
各位来宾，大家好。请允许我代表公司讲几句话。
Distinguished guests, hello everyone. Please allow me to say a few words on behalf of the company.gè wèi lái bīn, dà jiā hǎo. qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ dài biǎo gōng sī jiǎng jǐ jù huà好的，请讲。
Certainly, please go ahead.hǎo de, qǐng jiǎng我提议，为我们的合作干杯。祝大家身体健康、工作顺利。
I propose a toast to our cooperation. I wish everyone good health and smooth work.wǒ tí yì, wèi wǒ men de hé zuò gān bēi. zhù dà jiā shēn tǐ jiàn kāng, gōng zuò shùn lì来，我们一起举杯！干杯！
Come, let's raise our glasses together! Cheers!lái, wǒ men yì qǐ jǔ bēi! gān bēiA little context goes a long way
In many Mandarin-speaking settings, the host or a senior guest often gives the first toast, and others may follow. Standing, holding the glass with one hand and supporting it with the other, and making brief eye contact are common polite gestures. 干杯 (gān bēi) literally means 'dry the glass', but in practice many people take a sip rather than emptying it; follow the group's lead. If you do not drink alcohol, you can still join with tea or a soft drink and say 我以茶代酒 (wǒ yǐ chá dài jiǔ) 'I use tea instead of alcohol'. Avoid making the toast too long or too personal in a formal public setting.
One thing to watch for
Saying 我提议为你干杯 (wǒ tí yì wèi nǐ gān bēi) to toast one person in a public, formal speech.
Try this instead: For a public toast, use an inclusive reason phrase after 为 (wèi), such as 为我们的合作干杯 (wèi wǒ men de hé zuò gān bēi) 'a toast to our cooperation' or 为新人干杯 (wèi xīn rén gān bēi) 'a toast to the newlyweds'. 为你干杯 (wèi nǐ gān bēi) can sound too personal or like a private drink with one person. If you must honor an individual publicly, name the group or occasion first, then add a blessing: 为我们的团队干杯，也祝张经理身体健康 (wèi wǒ men de tuán duì gān bēi, yě zhù zhāng jīng lǐ shēn tǐ jiàn kāng).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are at a company dinner and want to propose a toast to cooperation. Give one formal sentence.
Show a sample answer
我提议，为我们的合作干杯。
This uses the core frame 我提议 + 为 + reason + 干杯. 为我们的合作 (wèi wǒ men de hé zuò) is a noun phrase, which fits the pattern. Other valid reasons include 为我们的友谊 (wèi wǒ men de yǒu yì) or 为团队 (wèi tuán duì).
2How do you politely claim the floor before a short public toast?
Show a sample answer
请允许我代表公司讲几句话。
请允许我 (qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ) softens the request, and 代表公司 (dài biǎo gōng sī) states on whose behalf you speak. If you are not representing a company, you can say 请允许我讲几句话 (qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ jiǎng jǐ jù huà).
3Give a warm closing that invites everyone to raise their glasses.
Show a sample answer
来，我们一起举杯！干杯！
来 (lái) creates a friendly, inclusive tone, 我们一起举杯 (wǒ men yì qǐ jǔ bēi) invites the group, and 干杯 (gān bēi) is the final cheer. A shorter alternative is simply 干杯！ (gān bēi).
Keep a formal toast to two or three sentences: address the guests, say 我提议，为……干杯, add one blessing, then close with 来，我们一起举杯！
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