Happy Birthday in Chinese: How to Say 生日快乐 and Other Birthday Wishes

Ready to wish your friends or loved ones "Happy birthday"?🎂 While Chinese birthday traditions are layered with meaning, warmth, and a focus on blessings over simple celebration, you can always opt for the universal phrase when starting to learn Chinese. We should address the elephant in the room: it's not complicated. As far as connecting with someone special is concerned, knowing these few key phrases is more than enough. Let's get you ready to celebrate.

The essential phrase for happy birthday in Chinese: 生日快乐 (Shēngrì kuàilè)

Here's your foundational phrase, the one you absolutely need: . Literally, it translates to "Birthday Happy". This is the modern, direct equivalent of the English "Happy Birthday," adopted widely due to global cultural exchange. It’s perfectly correct, universally understood, and totally fine to use for anyone, anytime. You can text it, say it, or write it on a card. If you only remember one thing, make it this.

But if you want to use a slightly different version, you can make it a little bit more complicated: . That little addition, means "I wish you". So, the phrase becomes "I wish you a happy birthday".

For the ultimate, most complete version, native speakers often stretch it into the wonderfully melodic and sincere: ！ (I wish you a happy birthday, and happiness every single day!). That’s the gold standard.

The traditional way to say happy birthday to the elderly: 寿比南山 (Shòu bǐ nánshān)

Now, let's dive into the really good stuff — the traditional blessings you might not know. While is the workhorse, it’s often used alongside or even replaced by more poetic wishes for longevity, especially for elders. This is where Chinese birthday culture shines.

The most famous of all is . This is a classic, formal blessing that means "(May your) lifespan compare to the Southern Mountain". The Southern Mountain, Zhongnan Shan, is a symbol of permanence and stability in Chinese lore. You’re essentially wishing someone an enduring, long life that is as solid and everlasting as a mountain.

You’ll often see this paired with another iconic phrase: – May your happiness be as vast as the Eastern Sea). Together, they form a powerful couplet: (Happiness as vast as the Eastern Sea, longevity that compares to the Southern Mountain).

This is the pinnacle of respectful, auspicious birthday wishes for grandparents or respected seniors. It’s less about the party and cake, and more about honoring their life and wishing them continued health and fortune. Using this shows a wonderful understanding of cultural depth.

Here is an example of how you can say it:

Grandma happy birthday. Wish you happiness as vast as the Eastern Sea, longevity that compares to the Southern Mountain. Happy every day!

Tailor your Chinese birthday wishes with flavor and specificity

Anyone can say "happy birthday," but a personalized wish is what people remember. Here’s something I’ve learned: adding just one more line makes your greeting feel thoughtful and unique.

For example, after , you can attach a simple, heartfelt hope.

The magic is in the combination. The first part () fulfills the basic requirement. The second part delivers a personalized blessing that speaks directly to the person’s life stage or your relationship with them. It’s a small effort with a huge emotional payoff.

Cultural notes on the auspicious symbols and taboos

Let's talk about gifts and taboos. A common mistake is giving a clock as a birthday present. This is a major cultural faux pas because the phrase (To give a clock) sounds identical to the phrase for "attending a funeral ritual". More or less, it’s associated with death and is considered incredibly unlucky. Always avoid clocks, watches, or hourglasses as gifts.

Another nuance is the focus on longevity foods. Noodles, specifically (Longevity noodles), are a classic birthday meal. The custom is to eat them without cutting or breaking the strand, symbolizing a long, unbroken life.

Also, in formal settings or for elders, you might notice the written character for longevity, , everywhere — on decorations, cakes, and cards. The peaches on that day are called , also symbols for longevity.

Learn to sing happy birthday song in Mandarin Chinese with Migaku!

Singing the birthday song is also a common ritual during the birthday celebration, especially among young people in China. It's directly translated from the English birthday song, so the tunes are the same.

Here is something convenient for you! You can learn how to sing it with Migaku app. Migaku app can help generate Chinese subtitles even when the video does not feature any. For example, the Migaku app can generate subtitles for the Chinese birthday song with the English translation. You can also click the words or sentences to add them to your flashcard collections and review them later.

FAQs

Say happy birthday in Chinese with its cultural nuances!

In other words, celebrating a birthday in Chinese is an act of offering good wishes. Start confidently with . Personalize your message with an extra line about health, success, or happiness. With the help of the media, you will learn more and more expressions and wishes that you can say at the birthday ceremonies!

Cheers to the perfect birthday!