Meaning and Usage
"生日" literally means "birth day," referring to the day a person was born. It is the standard word for "birthday" in Mandarin Chinese.
Common Contexts
People use "生日" to talk about the date itself, to ask about plans for celebrating, or to wish someone well. It often appears with verbs like "庆祝" (celebrate), "过" (spend), or in phrases like "生日快乐" (happy birthday).
Collocations and Patterns
- 生日快乐 (shēngrì kuàilè): a common birthday greeting.
- 过生日 (guò shēngrì): to celebrate a birthday.
- 生日礼物 (shēngrì lǐwù): birthday gift.
Usage Notes
When saying "生日快乐," it is a friendly and polite way to wish someone well on their birthday. "生日" can also be used in formal and informal contexts. Avoid confusing "生日" with "生辰" which is a more formal or literary term for birthday.
Character Insights
The character "生" relates to life or birth, and "日" means day or sun, together emphasizing the day of birth. This compound is straightforward and very common in daily conversation.