Chinese phrases

How to say happy birthday in Chinese

Happy birthday in Chinese is 生日快乐 (shēng rì kuài lè). For a fuller wish, say 祝你生日快乐, the words of the birthday song.

生日快乐

shēng rì kuài lè

happy birthday

Ways to say happy birthday

生日快乐
shēng rì kuài lè
Everyday
happy birthday
To anyone: in person, on a card or in a message.
祝你生日快乐
zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè
Everyday
I wish you a happy birthday
A fuller wish. People also sing these words to the birthday tune.
祝您生日快乐
zhù nín shēng rì kuài lè
Formal
I wish you a happy birthday (polite)
To a teacher, a boss or an older relative.
祝您身体健康
zhù nín shēn tǐ jiàn kāng
Formal
I wish you good health
The usual wish for an older person, after 生日快乐. For a big birthday, cards also say 福如东海，寿比南山: “fortune as wide as the East Sea, a life as long as the Southern Mountain.”
生快
shēng kuài
Texting
HBD
Short for 生日快乐 in quick messages and comments between young friends.

寿星
shòu xīng
the birthday person
What everyone calls the person whose birthday it is.
许愿
xǔ yuàn
to make a wish
Before you blow out the candles.
吹蜡烛
chuī là zhú
to blow out the candles
After the song and the wish.
长寿面
cháng shòu miàn
longevity noodles
A bowl of long noodles on the birthday, for a long life. Many families still eat it.

Putting 快乐 first
The wish comes after the occasion: 生日快乐, as in 新年快乐. Putting 快乐 first, in the English order, sounds wrong.
Using 你 with older people
To older people, say 祝您生日快乐 and add 身体健康. Good health is the usual wish for them.
Wishing on the wrong day
Many older people keep their birthday by the lunar calendar, 农历, so the date moves every year. Ask the family which day they celebrate.

灯灯，生日快乐！
dēng dēng, shēng rì kuài lè
Liangliang: Happy birthday, Dengdeng!
谢谢！你还记得啊！
xiè xie! nǐ hái jì de a
Dengdeng: Thanks! You remembered!
当然！晚上一起吃饭，我请客。
dāng rán! wǎn shang yì qǐ chī fàn, wǒ qǐng kè
Liangliang: Of course! Dinner tonight, my treat.
太好了！
tài hǎo le
Dengdeng: Great!