生日 (shēng rì) — birthday | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Everyday word for 'birthday' in spoken and written Chinese. 诞辰 is a formal, honorific term used only for respected or deceased people.

noun

birthday

Measure word · 个

生日。
Jīn tiān shì wǒ shēng rì.
Today is my birthday.
生日？
Nǐ shēng rì xiǎng yào shén me lǐ wù?
What gift do you want for your birthday?
生日。
Wǒ měi nián dōu guò shēng rì.
I celebrate my birthday every year.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

生 (birth) and 日 (day) together mean the day of birth.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Appears in