爸爸生日快乐
bàba shēngrì kuàilè
The English phrase "happy birthday dad" is translated into Chinese as 爸爸生日快乐 (bàba shēngrì kuàilè).
This phrase is a direct greeting used to wish one's father a happy birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 爸爸 (dad), 生日 (birthday) and 快乐 (happy) in that order.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be more colloquial and affectionate, you can replace 爸爸 with 老爸, which is similar to saying "Pops" or "Old dad" in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make it a grammatically formal, complete sentence by adding the verb 祝 (zhù) to the beginning: 祝爸爸生日快乐 (I wish dad a happy birthday).
How do you pronounce it?
bàba shēngrì kuàilè
Did you know?
- If you are celebrating your father's birthday, you might see 'longevity peaches' called 寿桃 (shòutáo) on the table. These are steamed buns shaped like peaches, which are mythical symbols of immortality in Chinese folklore.
- The character 快 in 快乐 originally referred to speed or quickness. Its use in 'happy' stems from the idea of a 'brisk' or 'unimpeded' spirit, reflecting a connection between mental ease and fluid movement.
- In a formal setting, instead of just saying 生日快乐, one might use the term 寿 (shòu) to wish an elderly father a 'long life', as reaching certain ages is seen as a monumental achievement.
Examples in context
- 親愛的爸爸，祝您生日快樂！Dear dad, I wish you a happy birthday!
- 衷心祝福您的生日快樂，親愛的爸爸。Sincerely wishing you a happy birthday, dear dad.
- 爸，生日快樂！Dad, happy birthday!
- 爸爸生日快乐！Bàba shēngrì kuàilè!Happy birthday, dad!
- 我们要对爸爸说：爸爸生日快乐！Wǒmen yào duì bàba shuō: Bàba shēngrì kuàilè!We should say to dad: Happy birthday, dad!
Example conversation
Xiaowen gives a gift to her father, Zhiqiang.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen爸爸生日快乐！这是给你的礼物。Bàba shēngrì kuàilè! Zhè shì gěi nǐ de lǐwù.Happy birthday, dad! This is a gift for you.
- 志强 Zhiqiang谢谢女儿，你真 thoughtful。Xièxiè nǚ'ér, nǐ zhēn thoughtful.Thank you, daughter, you are so thoughtful.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你喜欢这个礼物吗，志强爸爸？Nǐ xǐhuān zhège lǐwù ma, Zhìqiáng bàba?Do you like this gift, Dad?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我很喜欢，太感谢你了。Wǒ hěn xǐhuān, tài gǎnxiè nǐ le.I like it very much, thank you so much.
