The Ultimate Guide to Wishing Someone a Happy Birthday in Mandarin Chinese

When learning Chinese, one of the first fun and practical phrases you’ll want to know is how to say “Happy Birthday!”

Happy Birthday in Mandarin Chinese is 生日快乐 Shēngrì kuàilè.

But there are plenty more birthday-related words and phrases to learn!

Whether you’ve got a birthday party  生日派对 (shēng rì pài duì) coming up or want to write a birthday card  生日卡 (shēng rì kǎ), we’ve got you covered.

We’ll also cover all the superstitions about birthday gifts  生日礼物 (shēng rì lǐ wù) so you won’t lose face at your next get-together  聚会 (jù huì). 

🎂 So, ready to learn about all the ways to wish someone a happy birthday in Chinese? Let’s dive in!

How to Say Happy Birthday in Chinese

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Children

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Young/Middle-Aged Females

Happy Birthday in Chinese for the Elderly

Happy Birthday in Chinese to Friends

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Students and Teachers

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Colleagues and Your Boss

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Your Partner

Talking about a Birthday in Chinese

Happy Birthday in Chinese Song

Chinese Birthday Traditions

Chinese Birthday Gifts 

Bad Chinese Birthday Gifts

How to Say Happy Birthday in Chinese 

生日快乐 – shēngrì kuàilè : Happy Birthday (lit. Birth – Day – Happy) 

祝你生日快乐 – zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè : Wish you a Happy Birthday  (lit. Wish – You – Birth – Day – Happy)

These are the two most standard phrases you will need to say happy birthday in Chinese.

Getting the tones right matters more than speed. Shēngrì kuàilè is one high, flat first tone followed by three falling fourth tones: start high, then drop firmly on each of the last three syllables.

TIP💡 In zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, nǐ comes before a first tone, so you only need the low part of the third tone. Keep it short and low, then jump up to shēng. Want feedback on your tones? Practice your Chinese pronunciation.

However, there are many other ways to say happy birthday in Chinese, and they’ll impress your friends even more. Below you’ll find wishes for children, women, elders, friends, students, teachers, colleagues and partners.

If you’re looking for the standard phrases, those are the ones to go for! And also the ones to feature in the Chinese happy birthday song – see below.

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Children 

• 生日快乐 – shēngrì kuàilè 
  Happy Birthday! 

• 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 healthy and happy!

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Young/Middle-Aged Females

• 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.

• 祝你生日快乐，越来越靓 zhù nǐ shēnɡ rì kuài lè, yuè lái yuè liàng
  Happy birthday to you, may you grow more and more beautiful.

Happy Birthday in Chinese for the Elderly

• 祝你福如东海，寿比南山 Zhù nǐ fú rú dōng hǎi, shòu bǐ nán shān
  May your fortune be as boundless as the East Sea and your life is as long as the Nan Shan.

• 祝你年年有今日，岁岁有今朝 Zhù nǐ nián nián yǒu jīn rì, suì suì yǒu jīn zhāo.
  You have this day (can celebrate your birthday) every year in the future.

💡 Use 您 (nín), not 你 (nǐ), for elders. 您 is the respectful form of “you”. For grandparents, a teacher, your boss or anyone senior, say 祝您生日快乐 (zhù nín shēngrì kuàilè). The same swap works in both blessings above: 祝您福如东海，寿比南山 and 祝您年年有今日，岁岁有今朝.

Using 你 with an older person isn’t a disaster, but 您 shows you know the etiquette, and older relatives will notice.

These short longevity wishes also work well for elders:

长命百岁 is also a lovely wish for babies and young children. Skip it for someone already in their nineties, though, because it can sound like you’re setting a limit. Many of these set phrases come back at Spring Festival too: see our guide to New Year wishes in Chinese.

Happy Birthday in Chinese to Friends

If you want to say happy birthday in Chinese to friends with more emphasis (or you really want to show off that much), you can add in a couple of chengyu (成语, chéngyǔ), the set idioms, usually four characters long, that Chinese speakers use for wishes and sayings;

• 心想事成 xīn xiǎng shì chéng
  May all your wishes come true.

• 天天快乐 tiān tiān kuài lè
  I hope you’re happy every day.

• 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.

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Students and Teachers

When you wish a student a happy birthday in Chinese, it’s common to add a hope that they do well at school.

In Chinese you address a teacher as 老师 (lǎoshī) rather than by their first name, so 祝老师生日快乐 sounds natural in a class group chat.

桃李满天下 literally means “peaches and plums all over the world”, with the fruit standing for a teacher’s students.

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Colleagues and Your Boss

In a work setting, Chinese birthday wishes usually add a hope for success in the person’s career.

Use 您 for your boss or a senior client, and 你 for colleagues at your own level. For more ready-made phrases like these, see our congratulations and encouragement phrases.

Happy Birthday in Chinese for Your Partner

For a boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse, the simplest romantic wish is to put a term of endearment in front of 生日快乐.

💡 Parents also call their children 宝贝, so it’s sweet rather than racy. 亲爱的 is the safer choice when you’re writing in front of your partner’s family. When you wish your partner’s parents a happy birthday, switch to 您.

Talking about a Birthday in Chinese

你几岁了？ nǐ jǐ suì le？
How old are you now?  

你属什么的？ nǐ shǔ shén me de?
What is your Zodiac sign? (A traditional way of asking someone’s age or what year they were born in.)

你的生日是什么时候？ Nǐ de shēngrì shì shénme shíhòu?
When is your birthday? 

你平时怎么过生日？ Nǐ píngshí zěnmeguò shēngrì?
What do you usually do to celebrate your birthday?

我打算跟朋友一起去酒吧喝酒/去餐厅吃饭。 Wǒ dǎsuàn gēn péngyǒu yīqǐ qù jiǔbā hējiǔ/qù cāntīng chīfàn. 
I plan to go to a bar/restaurant with my friends.

你的生日愿望是什么? nǐ de shēng rì yuàn wàng shì shén me
What is your birthday wish？

我__岁了 wǒ __ suì le
I am __ years old. 

你要吃蛋糕吗? nǐ yào dàn gāo ma？
Do you want cake?

谢谢你的礼物 xiè xiè nǐ de lǐ wù
Thank you for the present. 

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Happy Birthday in Chinese Song 

The most standard version of the Happy Birthday song you’ll hear is simply 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè) repeated to the tune of the English Happy Birthday song (but with no name added).

• 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)
  • Here’s to your happiness, Here’s to your good health
• 祝你前途光明 (zhù nǐ qián tú guāng míng)
  • May your future be 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
• 祝你幸福， 祝你健康 (zhù nǐ xìng fú, zhù nǐ jiàn kāng)
  • Here’s to your happiness, Here’s to your good health
• 有个温暖家庭 (yǒu gè wēn nuǎn jiā tíng)
  • Here’s to your family.

Chinese Birthday Traditions

Chinese people may not celebrate their birthdays as much as in some Western countries, but saying happy birthday in Chinese is something you’re bound to come across a lot. 

Chinese people usually celebrate their birthdays much quieter than other countries, getting a few friends or family together, and often only really celebrating big important birthdays.

Traditionally, Chinese people would eat longevity noodles.

The custom comes from the shape: long noodles stand for a long life. These noodles are called 寿面 (shòu miàn), and you’re meant to slurp them without biting them short.

Longevity noodles are only one part of a traditional birthday. Here are the other customs you’re likely to come across:

Nowadays, younger people in China look towards the west and celebrate birthdays in a similar way.

Birthday cake is becoming the norm and people are celebrating with much larger parties – and every year, instead of traditionally just big birthdays for significant years. 

Despite this, celebrating a birthday in China is still kept as an important family event, especially so for newborns and the elderly.

Chinese Birthday Gifts 

Once you’ve learnt how to say happy birthday in Chinese, you’ll want to choose a birthday present, 生日礼物 (shēngrì lǐwù), that sends the right message. A few gift-giving rules are worth knowing first.

Gift superstitions are still taken seriously by many people, especially older generations, so some presents are best avoided.

Good gifts are much the same as anywhere: chocolates, cosmetics, clothing, good tea or a box of fruit all work well. For elders, quality tea or health products are a thoughtful choice. Handing the gift over with both hands is a small touch that shows respect.

👉👉👉 Follow our complete go-to guide on gift giving in China here.

Bad Chinese Birthday Gifts

• Clocks
  Clocks represent time, so giving a clock could suggest that time is running out. The Chinese words meaning to ‘give a clock’  送鐘  (sòng zhōng) sounds like (or exactly the same actually)  送終  (sòng zhōng) which means to pay one’s last respects.
• Towels
  Towels are often given out at funerals, so these are best avoided to avoid association. 
• White/yellow chrysanthemums
  These are usually given at funerals.

Another interesting example… don’t get a mirror! Why?

A mirror is a bad gift in China because they are seen to attract ghosts, so avoid giving these as gifts!

Who knew!

Want to learn birthday vocabulary in other languages?

Why not check out our articles on how to say happy birthday in Japanese, Korean, Russian and also Vietnamese as well!

Birthday in Chinese || FAQs

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