生日
saang¹ jat⁶
The Cantonese word for birthday is 生日 (saang¹ jat⁶). Wiktionary also lists 生辰 (saang¹ san⁴) and 牛一 (ngau⁴ jat¹).
Meaning: anniversary (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 生日 | saang¹ jat⁶ | |
| 生辰 | saang¹ san⁴ | |
| 牛一 | ngau⁴ jat¹ | slang |
The most common and general term for a birthday is 生日. In specific contexts, you may encounter more formal or slang variations.
What does it mean word for word?
生日 is composed of 生 (to be born) and 日 (day), literally meaning "birth day".
Which one should you use?
While 生日 is the standard term used in everyday speech, 生辰 is a more formal or literary way to refer to the anniversary of one's birth. The slang term 牛一 is used specifically to refer to a first birthday (being one year old).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
生日 is the standard and most common term. 生辰 is a formal term, while 牛一 is informal slang.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "on my birthday", use the preposition 喺 (at/on) before the phrase, for example: 喺我生日嗰日.
How do you pronounce it?
saang¹ jat⁶
Did you know?
- In traditional Cantonese culture, people often celebrate their 'birthday' one year early or late based on the lunar calendar, which can lead to a person having two different birthday dates in one calendar year.
- Some Cantonese speakers avoid celebrating their birthday during a 'benmingnian' or zodiac year, as it is traditionally believed to be a year of bad luck.
- When celebrating a birthday, it is common to eat 長壽麵, or 'long-life noodles'. The noodles are intentionally left very long and should not be cut or broken while eating to symbolize a long life.
Examples in context
- 聽日係我生日。Tomorrow is my birthday.The first sentence shows how to use 生日 to say tomorrow is someone's birthday.Tatoeba #1399805 by nickyeow, translation #71844 by CK
- 你生日就到啦噃。Your birthday is drawing near.The second sentence uses 生日 to indicate a birthday is approaching.Tatoeba #750751 by kaenif, translation #16999 by Zifre
- 今日我朋友生日。Today is my friend's birthday.The third sentence uses 生日 to state that it is a friend's birthday today.Tatoeba #5777443 by nickyeow, translation #2395137 by kuma
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are planning a surprise party for a mutual friend.
- 家明 Ka Ming你知唔知佢下星期幾號生日？nei5 zi1 m4 zi1 keoi5 haa6 cing1 sung1 gei2 hou6 saang1 jat6?Do you know what day his birthday is next week?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting係下星期三呀。hai6 haa6 cing1 sung4 saam1 aa3.It is next Wednesday.
- 家明 Ka Ming我哋要唔要送件生日禮物畀佢？ngo5 dei6 jiu3 m4 jiu3 sung3 gin6 saang1 jat6 lai2 mat6 bei2 keoi5?Should we give him a birthday gift?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting好呀，我哋一齊去買啦。hou2 aa3, ngo5 dei6 jat1 cai4 heoi3 maai5 laa1.Sure, let's go buy one together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “birthday” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
