But for the sake of learning more about Chinese birthday culture, let’s talk about some traditions that are specifically Chinese: In fact, more and more families are celebrating more birthdays than the ones listed above with cake, lots of food and gifts. Not all Chinese people celebrate their birthdays according to older Chinese tradition, though it never hurts to learn more about customs surrounding such occasions. After that, every 10th birthday is celebrated. Sixty is considered one cycle of life, which is cause for celebration. They also have a one-month birthday.Īnother important feature is the concept of a life cycle. It’s a sign of respect for the elderly, while infants’ birthdays are celebrations of the succeeding generation.Īdditionally, children are born as one-year-olds because of the lunar calendar. Traditional Chinese birthday parties are mostly reserved for infants and the elderly.
Here are a few points to be aware of when it comes to celebrating birthdays in China. (Download)Ĭhinese Birthdays 101: “Happy Birthday” in Mandarin and More A Bit of Background on Chinese Birthdays As a foreigner, knowing the birthday song alone may be impressive enough to the birthday celebrant, but it never hurts to go above and beyond with additional well wishes.īefore we get into birthday wishes and the birthday song in Mandarin, let’s go over some of the key cultural differences between birthdays in China and elsewhere.ĭownload: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that youĬan take anywhere. There are lots of different ways you can wish a Chinese person a happy birthday.
You think, “Okay, I really should learn how to sing the birthday song in Chinese, but once the song is over, then what?” You want to make a good first impression, so you decide that you need to learn how to say “happy birthday” in Mandarin. It’s your first time meeting the parents ( and the rest of the family). Your Chinese partner just invited you to their mother’s birthday celebration.