Key takeaways
- Happy Birthday in Mandarin Chinese is 生日快乐 (shēngrì kuàilè). The characters mean birth day happy: 生日 (shēngrì) is birthday and 快乐 (kuàilè) is happy. This is the universal birthday greeting across all Mandarin-speaking contexts.
- The Chinese birthday song (生日快乐歌, Shēngrì kuàilè gē) uses the same melody as the English Happy Birthday to You. The Chinese lyrics wish the birthday person happiness and translate as: Bless you, bless you, I bless you; happy birthday to you.
- Birthday customs in China differ from Western traditions in significant ways. Traditional Chinese culture celebrates birthdays with longevity noodles (长寿面, cháng shòu miàn), eaten for their association with long life. Western-style birthday cakes with candles are now common, especially in urban areas.
- The word for birthday in Chinese is 生日 (shēngrì). The same 快乐 (kuàilè) pattern that appears in 圣诞快乐 (Merry Christmas) and 新年快乐 (Happy New Year) appears here, making birthday greetings fit into a recognizable greeting structure across Chinese celebrations.
Birthday greetings in Chinese extend well beyond the two words of 生日快乐. Knowing birthday wishes, how to write a message, and how to ask someone for their birthday opens up a category of personal and social vocabulary that is used constantly throughout the year.
The difference between a learner who says 生日快乐 and one who follows it with a genuine wish in Chinese, or who understands the birthday song being sung, is exactly the kind of gap that conversation practice fills. italki connects you with Chinese teachers who can teach birthday vocabulary in the social and cultural context where it is actually used.
This guide covers how to say Happy Birthday in Chinese, the birthday song lyrics, birthday wishes and messages suitable for different relationships, birthday vocabulary, and Chinese birthday customs.
A Chinese tutor can practice birthday scenario conversations with you, from wishing someone a happy birthday to making plans and writing a birthday card message, so this vocabulary is ready for real social situations.
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How to say happy birthday in Chinese
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 生日快乐 | shēngrì kuàilè | Happy Birthday |
| 祝你生日快乐 | zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you a Happy Birthday |
| 祝您生日快乐 | zhù nín shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you (formal/respectful) a Happy Birthday |
| 生日快乐！ | shēngrì kuàilè! | Happy Birthday! |
| 生日快乐，祝你身体健康！ | shēngrì kuàilè, zhù nǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng! | Happy Birthday, wishing you good health! |
| 生日快乐，万事如意！ | shēngrì kuàilè, wànshì rúyì! | Happy Birthday, may everything go as you wish! |
Breaking down 生日快乐:
- 生 (shēng) = to give birth; to be born
- 日 (rì) = day; sun
- 快 (kuài) = happy (in this compound with 乐)
- 乐 (lè) = joy, happiness
The same 生 character appears in many related words: 出生 (chūshēng, to be born), 生命 (shēngmìng, life), 学生 (xuésheng, student, literally person who is learning to live). The 快乐 (kuàilè) component follows the same pattern as 圣诞快乐 and 新年快乐, showing how Chinese celebration greetings share a systematic structure. For the seasonal greetings that use this same formula, the guide to Merry Christmas in Chinese covers both Mandarin and Cantonese holiday vocabulary alongside the cultural context behind each greeting.
The Chinese birthday song
The Chinese birthday song (生日快乐歌, Shēngrì kuàilè gē) shares the same melody as the English Happy Birthday to You. It is sung in Chinese with the same four-phrase structure.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| 祝你生日快乐 | Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you a Happy Birthday |
| 祝你生日快乐 | Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you a Happy Birthday |
| 祝你幸福快乐 | Zhù nǐ xìngfú kuàilè | Wishing you happiness and joy |
| 祝你生日快乐 | Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you a Happy Birthday |
Alternative version (more common at parties):
| Chinese | Pinyin | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| 祝你生日快乐 | Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you a Happy Birthday |
| 祝你生日快乐 | Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you a Happy Birthday |
| 祝你天天快乐 | Zhù nǐ tiāntiān kuàilè | Wishing you happiness every day |
| 祝你生日快乐 | Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè | Wishing you a Happy Birthday |
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Birthday wishes and messages
These phrases are suitable for cards, WeChat messages, and in-person birthday greetings.
For friends and peers:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 生日快乐！希望你的愿望都实现！ | Shēngrì kuàilè! Xīwàng nǐ de yuànwàng dōu shíxiàn! | Happy Birthday! May all your wishes come true! |
| 祝你越来越美丽！ | Zhù nǐ yuèlái yuè měilì! | Wishing you grow more and more beautiful! |
| 又长大一岁了，生日快乐！ | Yòu zhǎngdà yī suì le, shēngrì kuàilè! | Another year older, Happy Birthday! |
| 愿你永远开心！ | Yuàn nǐ yǒngyuǎn kāixīn! | May you always be happy! |
For parents and elders:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 祝您身体健康，万事如意！ | Zhù nín shēntǐ jiànkāng, wànshì rúyì! | Wishing you good health and everything as you wish! |
| 祝您福如东海，寿比南山！ | Zhù nín fú rú Dōnghǎi, shòu bǐ Nánshān! | May your blessings be as vast as the Eastern Sea and your longevity like the Southern Mountain! (Traditional blessing) |
| 岁岁平安，生日快乐！ | Suìsuì píng’ān, shēngrì kuàilè! | Peace every year, Happy Birthday! |
For professional contacts:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 祝您生日快乐，工作顺利！ | Zhù nín shēngrì kuàilè, gōngzuò shùnlì! | Wishing you a Happy Birthday and smooth work! |
| 在您生日之际，送上最诚挚的祝福。 | Zài nín shēngrì zhī jì, sòng shàng zuì chéngzhì de zhùfú. | On the occasion of your birthday, sending the most sincere wishes. |
A Chinese teacher can help you practice delivering birthday greetings in the appropriate register for different relationships, since using casual language with a senior person or formal language with a close friend both create social awkwardness in Chinese.
Birthday vocabulary in Chinese
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 生日 | shēngrì | birthday |
| 生日蛋糕 | shēngrì dàngāo | birthday cake |
| 蜡烛 | làzhú | candle |
| 许愿 | xǔ yuàn | to make a wish |
| 生日礼物 | shēngrì lǐwù | birthday gift |
| 生日派对 | shēngrì pàiduì | birthday party |
| 生日歌 | shēngrì gē | birthday song |
| 生日卡片 | shēngrì kǎpiàn | birthday card |
| 惊喜 | jīngxǐ | surprise |
| 庆祝 | qìngzhù | to celebrate |
| 你几岁了？ | nǐ jǐ suì le? | How old are you? (for children) |
| 你多大了？ | nǐ duō dà le? | How old are you? (general/adults) |
| 我今年…岁。 | wǒ jīnnián … suì. | I am … years old this year. |
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Asking about birthdays
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你的生日是几号？ | nǐ de shēngrì shì jǐ hào? | What date is your birthday? |
| 你是哪年出生的？ | nǐ shì nǎ nián chūshēng de? | What year were you born? |
| 今天是你的生日吗？ | jīntiān shì nǐ de shēngrì ma? | Is today your birthday? |
| 你今年多大了？ | nǐ jīnnián duō dà le? | How old are you this year? |
| 我们一起庆祝吧！ | wǒmen yīqǐ qìngzhù ba! | Let’s celebrate together! |
| 你想要什么生日礼物？ | nǐ xiǎng yào shénme shēngrì lǐwù? | What birthday gift do you want? |
For how Chinese time expressions work when talking about years and dates, the guide to how to tell time in Chinese covers the date and year structures that appear in birthday conversations.
Chinese birthday customs
Longevity noodles (长寿面, cháng shòu miàn): A traditional birthday food in China. The noodles are long and uncut, symbolizing a long life. It is considered bad luck to cut or break them. Eating them on your birthday is especially common for older generations.
Longevity noodles and peach buns (寿面/寿桃): In some regions, shòu miàn (longevity noodles) are accompanied by shòu táo (longevity peaches, steamed buns shaped like peaches), particularly for milestone birthdays of elders.
Western-style celebrations: Cakes, candles, and birthday parties are standard in urban China, especially for children. WeChat is the primary platform for sending birthday wishes in China.
Significant birthdays: Milestone birthdays receive particular attention. The 60th birthday (花甲, huājiǎ, literally colorful cycle) marks a complete sexagenary cycle and is often celebrated with a large family gathering. The 70th (古稀, gǔxī) and 80th (耄耋, màodié) are also milestone occasions.
Not celebrating early: In Chinese tradition, it is generally considered unlucky to wish someone a happy birthday before the actual date.
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Practice social Chinese with a teacher
Birthday greetings, wishes, and party vocabulary are a high-frequency category of social Chinese that comes up throughout the year. Getting the register right (casual for friends, respectful for elders, professional for colleagues) requires real interaction, not just memorization.
italki connects learners with Chinese tutors who make social scenario practice a central part of their lessons, from birthday conversations to meeting introductions and celebration customs. Book a trial lesson and ask your teacher to practice birthday and celebration vocabulary in real conversational exchange, so you are confident the next time a birthday moment comes up in Chinese.
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Build real speaking confidence with personalized lessons from a teacher who matches your goals, schedule, and learning style.
FAQ
How do you say Happy Birthday in Chinese?
Happy Birthday in Mandarin Chinese is 生日快乐 (shēngrì kuàilè). To wish someone happy birthday in a full sentence, say 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, wishing you a happy birthday). For formal or respectful contexts, use 您 (nín) instead of 你 (nǐ): 祝您生日快乐 (zhù nín shēngrì kuàilè).
What are some happy birthday wishes in Chinese?
Common birthday wishes include: 生日快乐，万事如意！(shēngrì kuàilè, wànshì rúyì!, Happy Birthday, may everything go as you wish!), 祝你身体健康！(zhù nǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng!, wishing you good health!), and 希望你的愿望都实现！(xīwàng nǐ de yuànwàng dōu shíxiàn!, may all your wishes come true!). For elders, use the traditional blessing 祝您福如东海，寿比南山！
What is the happy birthday song in Chinese?
The Chinese birthday song (生日快乐歌, shēngrì kuàilè gē) uses the same melody as Happy Birthday to You. The lyrics are: 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè) repeated twice, then 祝你幸福快乐 (zhù nǐ xìngfú kuàilè, wishing you happiness), then 祝你生日快乐 again.
How do you write happy birthday in Chinese?
In Simplified Chinese (mainland China, Singapore): 生日快乐. In Traditional Chinese (Taiwan, Hong Kong): 生日快樂. The only difference is the last character: 乐 (Simplified) vs. 樂 (Traditional). Both mean the same thing and are pronounced the same (kuàilè).
How do Chinese people celebrate birthdays?
Birthday customs in China vary by generation and region. Traditional celebrations include eating longevity noodles (长寿面, cháng shòu miàn) for long life. Western-style celebrations with cake, candles, and birthday songs are now standard in urban areas, especially for children. WeChat birthday greetings are the most common way to receive birthday wishes in contemporary China. Significant milestone birthdays (60th, 70th, 80th) are celebrated with larger family gatherings.
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