shēngrì kuàilè: 生日快乐 - Happy Birthday

• Keywords: how to say happy birthday in chinese, shengri kuaile, 生日快乐, chinese birthday wishes, mandarin happy birthday, chinese for happy birthday, pinyin happy birthday
• Summary: “生日快乐” (shēngrì kuàilè) is the direct and most common way to say “Happy Birthday” in Mandarin Chinese. This essential phrase is used in conversations, on birthday cards, on cakes, and is the lyric to the Chinese version of the “Happy Birthday to You” song. Composed of “生日” (shēngrì, birthday) and “快乐” (kuàilè, happy), it's a fundamental expression of goodwill that every beginner learner should know.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shēngrì kuàilè
• Part of Speech: Phrase / Interjection
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: The standard Mandarin Chinese greeting for “Happy Birthday.”
• In a Nutshell: “生日快乐” is your go-to phrase for any birthday celebration in a Mandarin-speaking context. It literally translates to “birth-day happy.” It's friendly, universal, and appropriate for everyone from young children to friends and colleagues. Think of it as the foundational building block for all birthday wishes.

• 生 (shēng): This character means “to be born,” “life,” or “to grow.” It originates from a pictogram of a plant sprouting from the earth.
• 日 (rì): This character means “day” or “sun.” It's a simple pictogram of the sun.
• 快 (kuài): This character can mean “fast” or “quick,” but in this context, it takes on the meaning of “joyful” or “cheerful,” as in a feeling of lightheartedness.
• 乐 (lè): This character means “happy,” “joy,” or “pleasure.”

Together, 生日 (shēngrì) means “birth day,” and 快乐 (kuàilè) means “happy/joyful.” The combination “生日快乐” is a direct and clear wish for a happy birthday.

While “生日快乐” is a direct modern equivalent to the English “Happy Birthday,” traditional Chinese birthday celebrations carry deep cultural weight, especially for elders. The focus is often on longevity and blessings for a long, prosperous life. A key cultural practice is the eating of “longevity noodles” or 长寿面 (chángshòu miàn). These are very long, uncut noodles that symbolize a long life; it's considered bad luck to bite them in half. Another traditional item is the 寿桃 (shòutáo), or “longevity peach” bun, a steamed bun shaped and colored like a peach, which is a symbol of immortality in Chinese mythology. Compared to the West, where “Happy Birthday” is said to everyone, in China, wishing an elder a happy birthday can involve more formal and poetic blessings. While “生日快乐” is perfectly acceptable and always appreciated, you may hear phrases like 福如东海，寿比南山 (fú rú dōng hǎi, shòu bǐ nán shān), which means “May your fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea, and may you live as long as the Southern Mountains.” This reflects the deep-seated cultural value of respecting and venerating one's elders. For a learner, simply saying “生日快乐” with a sincere smile is more than enough.

“生日快乐” is used ubiquitously in modern China, just as “Happy Birthday” is in the English-speaking world.

• In Conversation: It's used as a direct greeting. When you see the birthday person, you can simply say, “生日快乐!”
• On Cakes and Cards: This is the standard phrase written on birthday cakes, cards, and banners.
• On Social Media: It's extremely common to see posts on WeChat (微信) or Weibo (微博) saying “生日快乐!” often accompanied by cake 🎂, gift 🎁, or party 🎉 emojis.
• In Song: The lyrics to the “Happy Birthday to You” song in Chinese are simply the phrase repeated:

> 祝你生日快乐 (Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè)

  > 祝你生日快乐 (Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè)
  > 祝你生日快乐 (Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè)
  > 祝你永远快乐 (Zhù nǐ yǒngyuǎn kuàilè - Wish you happiness forever)

Its connotation is always positive and its formality is neutral, making it suitable for friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances.

• Example 1:
  • 祝你生日快乐！
  • Pinyin: Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè!
  • English: Wish you a happy birthday!
  • Analysis: This is the most common and complete way to wish someone a happy birthday. The verb 祝 (zhù) means “to wish.”
• Example 2:
  • 妈妈，生日快乐！我爱你！
  • Pinyin: Māma, shēngrì kuàilè! Wǒ ài nǐ!
  • English: Mom, happy birthday! I love you!
  • Analysis: A simple, heartfelt example of how to use the phrase with a family member.
• Example 3:
  • 今天是我的生日，祝我生日快乐吧！
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān shì wǒ de shēngrì, zhù wǒ shēngrì kuàilè ba!
  • English: Today is my birthday, wish me a happy birthday!
  • Analysis: A playful way someone might announce their own birthday on social media. The “吧 (ba)” particle makes it a suggestion.
• Example 4:
  • 这是给你的生日礼物，生日快乐！
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì gěi nǐ de shēngrì lǐwù, shēngrì kuàilè!
  • English: This is your birthday present, happy birthday!
  • Analysis: This shows how the phrase is used when giving a gift.
• Example 5:
  • 听说你下周过生日，提前祝你生日快乐！
  • Pinyin: Tīngshuō nǐ xià zhōu guò shēngrì, tíqián zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè!
  • English: I hear you're celebrating your birthday next week, wishing you a happy birthday in advance!
  • Analysis: The word 提前 (tíqián) means “in advance,” a useful addition for early birthday wishes.
• Example 6:
  • 王老师，祝您生日快乐，身体健康！
  • Pinyin: Wáng lǎoshī, zhù nín shēngrì kuàilè, shēntǐ jiànkāng!
  • English: Teacher Wang, I wish you a happy birthday and good health!
  • Analysis: When addressing an elder or a respected person like a teacher, use the polite “you” 您 (nín). It's also common to add another wish, like 身体健康 (shēntǐ jiànkāng), “good health.”
• Example 7:
  • 我们一起为他唱生日快乐歌吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yīqǐ wèi tā chàng shēngrì kuàilè gē ba.
  • English: Let's sing the happy birthday song for him together.
  • Analysis: This example shows the phrase used as part of a compound noun: 生日快乐歌 (shēngrì kuàilè gē), “Happy Birthday song.”
• Example 8:
  • 虽然我不能参加你的派对，但我还是想祝你生日快乐。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒ bùnéng cānjiā nǐ de pàiduì, dàn wǒ háishì xiǎng zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè.
  • English: Although I can't attend your party, I still want to wish you a happy birthday.
  • Analysis: A good example of using the phrase in a more complex sentence, perfect for a text message or email.
• Example 9:
  • 亲爱的，生日快乐！希望你喜欢我为你准备的惊喜。
  • Pinyin: Qīn'ài de, shēngrì kuàilè! Xīwàng nǐ xǐhuān wǒ wèi nǐ zhǔnbèi de jīngxǐ.
  • English: Darling, happy birthday! I hope you like the surprise I prepared for you.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates a term of endearment, 亲爱的 (qīn'ài de), used in a romantic context.
• Example 10:
  • 你的蛋糕上写着“生日快乐”吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de dàngāo shàng xiězhe “shēngrì kuàilè” ma?
  • English: Does your cake have “Happy Birthday” written on it?
  • Analysis: This shows how to refer to the phrase itself in a question.

• Common Mistake 1: Using the wrong “happy.”

The word `快乐 (kuàilè)` is used for sustained, cheerful happiness and is attached to holidays like `新年快乐 (Xīnnián Kuàilè - Happy New Year)` and `圣诞快乐 (Shèngdàn Kuàilè - Merry Christmas)`. For momentary happiness or satisfaction, the word `开心 (kāixīn)` is more appropriate. You wouldn't say “我今天很生日快乐” (I am very happy birthday today). You would say “我今天过生日，很开心” (I'm celebrating my birthday today, I'm very happy).

• Common Mistake 2: Grammatical Errors.

English speakers might try to construct a sentence like a direct translation.

• Incorrect: `我生日快乐你。(Wǒ shēngrì kuàilè nǐ.)`
• Why it's wrong: “生日快乐” is a set phrase, an interjection. It can stand alone or follow the pattern `祝你… (Zhù nǐ…)` which means “Wish you…”.
• Correct: `祝你生日快乐。(Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè.)` or simply `生日快乐！(Shēngrì kuàilè!)`
• Nuance: Formality with Elders.

As mentioned in the cultural section, while “生日快乐” is never wrong, it is the standard, neutral option. For a grandparent or a highly respected figure, adding a wish for health or longevity shows a deeper level of cultural understanding and respect. A beginner, however, should not feel pressured; a sincere “生日快乐” is always a wonderful gesture.

• 祝 (zhù) - To wish. This is the verb that most commonly precedes “生日快乐”.
• 过生日 (guò shēngrì) - To celebrate a birthday. `过 (guò)` means “to pass” or “to celebrate.”
• 生日蛋糕 (shēngrì dàngāo) - Birthday cake.
• 生日礼物 (shēngrì lǐwù) - Birthday present/gift.
• 快乐 (kuàilè) - Happy, joyful. The “happy” part of the phrase, also used for many other holidays.
• 长寿面 (chángshòu miàn) - Longevity noodles, a traditional birthday food symbolizing a long life.
• 福如东海寿比南山 (fú rú dōng hǎi, shòu bǐ nán shān) - A very formal, poetic birthday blessing for an elder, meaning “Fortune as vast as the Eastern Sea, longevity as great as the Southern Mountains.”
• 开心 (kāixīn) - Happy, glad. A word for general, often momentary, happiness, distinct from the cheerful state of `快乐`.