어머니 생신 축하드려요
eomeoni saengsin chukhadeuryeoyo
To say "happy birthday to your mom" in Korean, use 어머니 생신 축하드려요 (eomeoni saengsin chukhadeuryeoyo).
This phrase is used to wish someone's mother a happy birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
어머니 (eomeoni) is a formal and respectful way to say 'mother'. 생신 (saengsin) is the honorific form of 'birthday', used specifically when referring to the birthdays of elders or people of higher social status.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase 어머니 생신 축하드려요 is in a polite, standard register. It is suitable for speaking to acquaintances, colleagues or people older than you. It uses honorifics because it is directed toward the mother of the person you are speaking to, treating her with respect.
How do you pronounce it?
eomeoni saengsin chukhadeuryeoyo
Did you know?
- In Korea, it is common to celebrate a mother's 60th birthday, called 환갑 (hwangap), with a much larger party than a standard birthday. This traditional milestone marked the completion of one full 60-year cycle of the lunar calendar.
- When wishing a mother a happy birthday, it is customary in Korea to give a gift of red ginseng or health supplements rather than just a cake.
- The word 어머니 (eomeoni) evolved from the historical form 어마니 (eomani) seen in 18th-century texts. While the sound has shifted slightly over centuries, the respectful core of the word has remained constant.
Examples in context
- 어머니 생신 축하드려요.eomeoni saengsin chukhadryeoyo.Happy birthday to your mother.
- 지은 씨, 어머니 생신 축하드려요!jieun ssi, eomeoni saengsin chukhadryeoyo!Jieun, happy birthday to your mother!
Example conversation
Jihoon and Jieun are talking at a cafe about Jieun's family.
- 지훈 Ji-hun지은 씨, 오늘 어머니 생신 축하드려요!jieun ssi, oneul eomeoni saengsin chukhadryeoyo!Jieun, happy birthday to your mother today!
- 지은 Ji-eun감사해요, 지훈 씨.gamsahaeyo, jihun ssi.Thank you, Jihoon.
- 지훈 Ji-hun선물은 준비하셨어요?seonmureun junbihasyeosseoyo?Did you prepare a gift?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 케이크를 준비했어요.ne, keikeureul junbihaesseoyo.Yes, I prepared a cake.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 생신, 어머니, CC BY-SA 4.0.
