Word Detail

The Japanese word 誕生日, pronounced たんじょうび (tanjōbi), directly translates to "birthday" in English. It refers to the anniversary of a person's birth. It's a significant day often celebrated with gifts, parties, and well wishes. This word conveys the concept of celebrating the date a person came into the world. It encompasses the celebration, the day itself, and the associated feelings of joy and remembrance.

⚫︎今日は誕生日です。 Translation: Today is [my] birthday. ⚫︎友達の誕生日パーティーに行きました。 Translation: I went to my friend's birthday party. ⚫︎ 誕生日プレゼントは何がいいですか？ Translation: What would you like for your birthday present?

誕生日 is used in various contexts related to birthdays. It can be used to: ⚫︎ Ask someone about their birthday. ⚫︎ Talk about celebrating a birthday. ⚫︎ Refer to the day itself. ⚫︎ Inquire about birthday gifts or wishes. You'll use it frequently when planning or discussing birthday-related activities. It is a very common word.

誕生日 is typically written with the kanji 誕生日. The pronunciation is たんじょうび (in hiragana). There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

While there aren't direct synonyms in the same way as in English, related words include: ⚫︎ 記念日 (kinenbi) - anniversary; this can be used in some contexts, but not directly for a person's birthday. ⚫︎ バースデー (bāsudē) - "birthday" in katakana (borrowed from English); this is less formal.

There aren't direct antonyms for 誕生日, as it is a specific day. However, concepts such as the opposite of celebrating or the absence of a birthday (perhaps a deceased person's day of birth) could be considered related opposites.

私の誕生日は5月10日です。 ・Translation: My birthday is May 10th. ・Explanation: This sentence simply states when one's birthday is.

彼女の誕生日を祝うために、ケーキを買いました。 ・Translation: I bought a cake to celebrate her birthday. ・Explanation: This sentence explains the reason for buying the cake is for her birthday celebration.

The word 誕生日 is a compound word: ⚫︎ 誕生 (tanjō) - birth, coming into the world ⚫︎ 日 (bi) - day Therefore, the combined meaning is literally "birth day" or "the day of birth."