Happy Birthday in Chinese

If you are planning to study in China, the need to say ‘Happy Birthday in Chinese’ is probably come across pretty early. It is one of the most useful phrases in China. You will likely wish your friends, classmates, and colleagues. If you want to learn Chinese in China, aside from coming here, you may also study online by picking up simple words and guides as indicated in this article.

How to say ‘Happy Birthday’ in Chinese?

The simplest way to say happy birthday in Chinese is 生日快乐 (shēngrì kuàilè). The two most common phrases used are:

1. 生日快乐 = (shēngrì kuàilè) = Happy Birthday
2. 祝你生日快乐 = zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè= Wish you a Happy Birthday

Often you hear Chinese people singing 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè), which means ‘Wish you a Happy Birthday.’ There are thousands of ways to say happy birthday, and phrases change for the situation. So you see? it’s not difficult to learn Chinese

How to wish ‘Happy Birthday in Chinese’ to older people?

There are a variety of expressions that are used to wish different people. If you want to wish older people, it should be polite and informal. A simple phrase is used that is

祝您生日快乐，长命百岁！

zhù nín shēngrì kuàilè, chángmìngbǎisuì!

Happy birthday! May you live to be a hundred years old.

How to wish Young women a Happy Birthday

It includes the informal way of greeting in which idiomatic expression is used.

祝你生日快乐，青春永驻！

zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, qīngchūnyǒngzhù!

Happy Birthday! May you stay young forever!

Other phrases Used to With Young Woment Happy Birthday:

祝你生日快乐，年年十八

zhù nǐ shēnɡ rì kuài lè, nián nián shí bā

Wish you a happy birthday, may you live as young as 18 years old every year.

Another one:

祝你生日快乐，越来越靓

zhù nǐ shēnɡ rì kuài lè, yuè lái yuè jìng

Happy birthday to you, wish you more and more beautiful.

Chinese “Happy Birthday” Song:

The English and Chinese versions use the same tone for the ‘Happy Birthday.’ You can sing this for your close ones.

祝你生日快乐 

zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

Happy Birthday to you

祝你生日快乐 

zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

Happy Birthday to you

祝你幸福, 祝你健康

zhù nǐ xìng fú, zhù nǐ jiàn kāng

Wish you happiness, wish you good health

祝你前途光明

zhù nǐ qián tú guāng míng

Wish your future is bright

祝你生日快乐

zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

Happy Birthday to you

祝你生日快乐

zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

Happy Birthday to you

If you want to wish Men Happy Birthday in Chinese:

If you are wishing a man it should be exciting and formal as well. Most of the Chinese native greet birthday wishes like that:

祝你生日快乐，事业有成！

(zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, shìyèyǒuchéng!)

Happy birthday! Wishing you professional success!

The first phrase shows the formal ‘Happy Birthday’ whereas the second shows the excitement.

Happ Birthday to Friends!

The first phrase would always be the same “Happy Birthday.” But the second phrase change as per the gender or people’s age.

祝你生日快乐，天天开心，幸福美满！

zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, tiāntiān kāixīn, xìngfúměimǎn!

Happy birthday! Hope you will be happy every day! May you achieve perfect happiness!

Or,

祝你生日快乐，天天快乐，心想事成

zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè, tiān tiān kuài lè, xīn xiǎng shì chéng

Happy birthday to you! I hope that you are happy every day and that all your wishes come true.

Wishing Children Happy Birthday in Mandarin:

祝你生日快乐，学业有成！

zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, xuéyèyǒuchéng!

Happy birthday! May you achieve success in your studies!

How to ask about someone’s Birthday?

After wishing you can carry on the conservation by asking about their age. Only if you are wishing your close friends.

你几岁了？

nǐ jǐ suì le？

How old are you now?

Or,

你的生日愿望是什么?

nǐ de shēng rì yuàn wàng shì shén me

What is your birthday wish？

How do you plan to spend your birthday?

你打算怎么过你的生日?

nǐ dǎ suàn zěn me guò nǐ de shēng rì

Or after receiving a gift you can say that,

谢谢你的礼物

xiè xiè nǐ de lǐ wù

Thank you for the present.

How to wish Co-workers Happy Birthday?

You can wish your co-workers and peer with wealth wish.

For instance:

1. 事业有成

shì yè yǒu chéng

Professional success

2. 财源广进

cái yuán guǎng jìn

The money will come from all directions

3. 财源滚滚

cái yuán gǔn gǔn

The money will be rolling in

Traditional Birthday Gift Chinese People love to receive:

Native Chinese people do not celebrate as many birthdays as western people do. But they love to wish people on their birthdays with a gift.

But there are some strict rules for what not to give on birthday as a birthday pleasant.

Good Birthday gifts for Chinese People:

1. Chocolates
2. Clothing
3. Cosmetics

Bad Birthday Chinese Birthday Gifts:

1. Clocks
2. Towels
3. White/yellow chrysanthemums
4. Mirror

6 General Ways to Wish “Happy Birthday” in Chinese:

1. 笑口常开!

xiào kǒu cháng kāi!

Be happy and wear a smile often!

2. 祝您年年有今日，岁岁有今朝

zhù nín nián nián yǒu jīn rì, suì suì yǒu jīn zhāo

May you have a day like this every year.

3. 心想事成

xīn xiǎng shì chéng

May all your wishes come true.

4. 祝您福如东海，寿比南上

zhù nín fú rú dōng hǎi, shòu bǐ nán shàng

May your fortune be as boundless as the East Sea, and may you live a long and happy life.

5. 希望你健康快乐地长大！

xī wàng nǐ jiàn kāng kuài lè de zhǎng dà

I hope you grow up to be happy and healthy!

6. 祝您身体健康，越活越年轻

zhù nín shēn tǐ jiàn kāng, yuè huó yuè nián qīng

May you be healthy and get younger and younger.

Chinese Birthday Traditions

Noodles, No Cake

In western countries, it is common to cut cakes but in China, many people eat traditional foods. On birthdays Chinese people love to eat longevity Noodles. The longevity noodles are referred to as 寿面 (shòumiàn).

An expression used for Birthday Wishes in Mandarin

1. 破蛋日快乐

pò dàn rì kuài lè

Hatch out of eggs day happy

2. 破壳日嗨皮

pò ké rì hāi pí

Break out of shell day happy

3. 生快

shēng kuài

Birth happy

4. 成长日嗨皮

chéng zhǎng rì hāi pí

Grow up day happy

5. 福寿双全

fú shòu shuāng quán

Enjoy both felicity and longevity

6. 福寿双全

fú shòu shuāng quán

Enjoy both felicity and longevity

7. 寿比南山

shòu bǐ nán shān

Live as long as the Zhongnan Mountains

8. 年年有今日，岁岁有今朝。

nián nián yǒu jīn rì ，suì suì yǒu jīn zhāo

Wish you many happy returns of the day

9. 身体健康

shēn tǐ jiàn kāng

To be in good physical condition

10. 天天开心

tiān tiān kāi xīn

Wish you happy every day

Conclusion:

Birthdays are celebrated in different ways in different corners of the world. The custom of celebrating the birthday is adopted from western culture. Different expressions and phrases are used to greet a warm birthday wish. 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè) (Happy Birthday to you) is used to greet a warm birthday. Or Native Chinese say 祝你生日快乐 zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè Wish you a Happy birthday! Still, wondering why you should learn Chinese in China? check this article