誕生日おめでとう
tanjōbi omedetō[tã̠ɲ̟d͡ʑo̞ːbʲi o̞me̞de̞to̞ː]
In Japanese, "happy birthday to friend" is expressed as 誕生日おめでとう (tanjōbi omedetō).
This phrase is a common greeting used to wish someone a happy birthday. While English speakers often say "Happy birthday to [name]", in Japanese you do not need to include the person's name or a word for "to" within the phrase itself to express this sentiment. For specific milestone birthdays, such as a 60th birthday, the term 還暦 (kanreki) is used and for an 88th birthday, the term 米寿 (beiju) is used. To show respect when addressing someone, it is common to add the honorific -san after their name.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 誕生日 (tanjōbi), meaning "birthday" and おめでとう (omedetō), meaning "congratulations" or "happy".
Which one should you use?
The pack provides two versions: 誕生日おめでとう and お誕生日おめでとう. The latter, お誕生日おめでとう, is a casual version.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 誕生日おめでとう is used in an informal context.
How do you pronounce it?
tanjōbi omedetō
Did you know?
- In Japan, the 88th birthday is celebrated with the term 米寿 (beiju). The name comes from the way the kanji for 'eighty-eight' can be visually decomposed to reveal the character for 'rice' (米), symbolizing a long and bountiful life.
- When celebrating a 60th birthday, known as 還暦 (kanreki), it is traditional for the person to wear bright red clothing, such as a vest. This color symbolizes a rebirth into a state of innocence, much like a newborn.
- When wishing a friend a happy birthday, Japanese speakers may use a 'shortened' version of おめでとう in very casual text slang, often written as おめ (ome).
Examples in context
- 誕生日おめでとう！tanjoubi omedetou!Happy birthday!
- 改めて、誕生日おめでとう。aratamete, tanjoubi omedetou.Happy birthday once again.
Example conversation
Misaki greets Kenta at a cafe for his birthday.
- 美咲 Misaki健太、誕生日おめでとう！kenta, tanjoubi omedetou!Happy birthday, Kenta!
- 健太 Kenta美咲、ありがとう！misaki, arigatou!Thanks, Misaki!
- 美咲 Misaki素敵な一年になりますように。suteki na ichinen ni narimasu you ni.I hope you have a wonderful year.
- 健太 Kentaそうだといいな。sou dato ii na.I hope so.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 誕生日おめでとう, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
