Happy birthday & birthday wishes in Chinese 生日祝福
shēngrì zhùfú
Happy birthday in Chinese is 生日快乐 (shēng rì kuài lè).
Also searched for as: happy birthday in Chinese, birthday messages, birthday greetings, happy birthday in Mandarin, birthday card message.
More ways to say it than just "happy birthday". 15 essential happy birthday & birthday wishes words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The way to say happy birthday in Chinese is 生日快乐 (shēng rì kuài lè), but birthday greetings go much further. Friends add playful lines such as 永远十八岁 (yǒng yuǎn shí bā suì), "forever eighteen", while grandparents hear traditional wishes like 长命百岁 (cháng mìng bǎi suì). You'll also want the practical words for the party itself: 许愿 (xǔ yuàn), to make a wish, and 吹蜡烛 (chuī là zhú), to blow out the candles.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 生日快乐 | shēng rì kuài lè | happy birthday |
| 生日祝福 | shēng rì zhù fú | birthday wishes |
| 祝你 | zhù nǐ | (I) wish you |
| 许愿 | xǔ yuàn | to make a wish |
| 吹蜡烛 | chuī là zhú | to blow out the candles |
| 越来越美 | yuè lái yuè měi | more beautiful every year |
| 天天开心 | tiān tiān kāi xīn | happy every day |
| 岁岁平安 | suì suì píng ān | safe and well year after year |
| 长命百岁 | cháng mìng bǎi suì | to live to a hundred |
| 福如东海 | fú rú dōng hǎi | good fortune as vast as the sea |
| 寿比南山 | shòu bǐ nán shān | long life (as lasting as the mountains) |
| 生日蛋糕 | shēng rì dàn gāo | birthday cake |
| 寿星 | shòu xīng | birthday boy; birthday girl |
| 迟到的祝福 | chí dào de zhù fú | belated wishes |
| 永远十八岁 | yǒng yuǎn shí bā suì | forever eighteen |
Usage tips
- 福如东海，寿比南山 (fú rú dōng hǎi, shòu bǐ nán shān) is a classic pair for older relatives, especially on milestone birthdays like a 60th or 80th. Said to friends your own age, it sounds comically formal.
- The person whose birthday it is is the 寿星 (shòu xīng), which works for anyone, not just the elderly. A milestone birthday for an older person is a 大寿 (dà shòu), as in 八十大寿 (bā shí dà shòu).
- Many families eat 长寿面 (cháng shòu miàn), "longevity noodles", on birthdays, alongside or instead of cake. The long noodles symbolise a long life, so try not to cut them.
Common mistakes
- Learners say 生日快乐你 (shēng rì kuài lè nǐ), copying English word order. Either say 生日快乐 on its own or 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè).
- 越来越美 (yuè lái yuè měi) and 永远十八岁 are fun for friends but can sound flippant to a grandparent. For elders, choose 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiàn kāng) or 长命百岁 (cháng mìng bǎi suì).
Mini dialogue
- A蛋糕来了！寿星，快许愿吧！Dàn gāo lái le! Shòu xīng, kuài xǔ yuàn ba!Here's the cake! Birthday girl, quick, make a wish!
- B好，我许好了。Hǎo, wǒ xǔ hǎo le.OK, I've made my wish.
- A该吹蜡烛了！生日快乐！Gāi chuī là zhú le! Shēng rì kuài lè!Time to blow out the candles! Happy birthday!
- B谢谢大家的生日祝福！Xiè xie dà jiā de shēng rì zhù fú!Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone!
- A祝你永远十八岁，天天开心！Zhù nǐ yǒng yuǎn shí bā suì, tiān tiān kāi xīn!Here's to staying eighteen for ever and being happy every day!
Example sentences
- 祝你生日快乐！Happy birthday to you!
- 谢谢大家的生日祝福！Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!
- 祝你新的一岁一切顺利！All the best for the year ahead!
- 吹蜡烛之前先许愿。Make a wish before you blow out the candles.
- 好了，该吹蜡烛了！Right, time to blow out the candles!
- 祝你越来越美！May you get more beautiful every year!
- 生日快乐，天天开心！Happy birthday, and be happy every day!
- 祝你岁岁平安！Wishing you peace and safety every year!
- 祝奶奶长命百岁！Wishing Grandma a long, long life!
- 祝您福如东海！Wishing you endless good fortune!
- 爷爷八十大寿，祝他寿比南山！It's Grandpa's eightieth, wishing him a long life!
- 我给你订了生日蛋糕。I've ordered you a birthday cake.
- 今天你是寿星，你说了算！You're the birthday girl today, you call the shots!
- 迟到的祝福，生日快乐！Belated wishes: happy birthday!
- 祝你永远十八岁！Here's to you staying eighteen for ever!
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Happy birthday & birthday wishes speaking island has 8 everyday questions about happy birthday & birthday wishes to prepare your own answers to.