{"id":3880,"date":"2020-10-16T19:24:05","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T19:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/?p=3880"},"modified":"2020-10-16T19:24:06","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T19:24:06","slug":"happy-birthday-in-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clozemaster.com\/blog\/happy-birthday-in-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHappy Birthday\u201d in Japanese \u2013 How to Celebrate Birthdays in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Japan boasts one of the longest life expectancies in the world and has 80,000 citizens<\/a> who are over 100 years old. Would it surprise you to learn that many of these centenarians have only recently started celebrating their birthdays? In this article, we\u2019re going to take a closer look at how to celebrate birthdays in Japan, and learn about the various ways of saying \u201chappy birthday\u201d in Japanese.<\/p>\n

Birthdays in Japan<\/h2>\n

The idea of celebrating a new year of life on the day you were born is a relatively new idea in Japan. Originally, Japanese people believed that New Year\u2019s was the time to celebrate the beginning of another year in someone\u2019s life. Everyone got \u201colder\u201d on the same day. This only began to truly change in the 1950s, when Japan opened up to western cultures following World War II. Western holidays like Halloween and Christmas, and of course, birthdays evolved their own uniquely Japanese style.<\/p>\n

Holding to the Western style, birthdays in Japan involve friends, family, presents, and of course, a cake. However, there are a few notable differences between a Japanese birthday party and the birthday parties you\u2019ve celebrated.<\/p>\n

Japanese Birthday celebrations<\/h3>\n

What some might consider the biggest difference (and improvement) in Japanese birthday parties is that the birthday person never has to plan the party themselves. Friends will inevitably get together, pick a day that everyone is free, and plan the party at a favored restaurant or bar. This makes cleanup easier, and of course, the food is always great<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The birthday person will never pay for their meal; everyone chips in to cover the cost. As the service industry in Japan is used to hosting birthday parties, most restaurants have special offers on desserts or drinks. There might even be a \u201c\u30b5\u30fc\u30d3\u30b9\u201d (saabisu, <\/em>or \u201cservice\u201d), or a freebie, in the form of a small dessert. Whether or not the staff sings \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d really depends on requests made and the type of restaurant. Japanese people are more private than Western revelers; many don\u2019t appreciate their birthdays being opened to the public.<\/p>\n

Many Japanese people will celebrate with friends on a different day, as their birthday might be a special date day with their significant other<\/a>. Like Valentine\u2019s Day, Christmas, and other Western-inspired holidays, birthdays have taken on a romantic significance in Japan.<\/p>\n

Gift-Giving Culture in Japan<\/h3>\n

Japan is well-known for its complex gifting culture<\/a>. Fortunately for those attending a Japanese birthday party, gifts are rarely expected unless you\u2019re a close friend or a family member. A card or a small package of sweets is often sufficient. In fact, many Japanese people are nervous when invited to a foreign friend\u2019s birthday party, as they\u2019re unsure of whether to bring a glamorous present.<\/p>\n

Should you be celebrating a coworker\u2019s birthday, your office might pass around message for everyone to sign. This will be presented, along with a bouquet of flowers or candy bag, to the birthday person at the end of the night.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering what sort of gift to give your Japanese significant other, or perhaps to your Japanese in-law, a basket of seasonal fruit or another food-themed gift set is considered affordable and popular with all age groups and genders. Of course, in that position you will know the person best. It never hurts to ask what they want, just as you would with someone in your own country.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHappy Birthday\u201d in Japanese and Other Phrases<\/h2>\n

Here are some words and phrases that will help if you\u2019re attending a birthday party in Japan or want to celebrate with your Japanese friend!<\/p>\n

\u304a\u8a95\u751f\u65e5\u304a\u3081\u3067\u3068\u3046\uff01\uff08O tanjoubi omedetou!<\/em>\uff09<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is the most common way of saying \u201chappy birthday\u201d in Japanese. \u304a\u8a95\u751f\u65e5\u304a\u3081\u3067\u3068\u3046\uff08o tanjoubi omedetou<\/em>\uff09literally translates to \u201ccongratulations on your birthday!\u201d This is an appropriate birthday greeting for someone your age or within your social circle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you want to say o tanjoubi omedetou <\/em>to someone who is older than you or to a person you\u2019re still not well-acquainted with, you should make the phrase more polite: \u304a\u305f\u3093\u3058\u3087\u3046\u3073\u304a\u3081\u3067\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff08o tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu<\/em>\uff09is the formal version of this birthday greeting.<\/p>\n

\u30cf\u30c3\u30d4\u30fc\u30d0\u30fc\u30b9\u30c7\u30fc\uff01\uff08Happii basudee!<\/em>\uff09<\/h2>\n

Happiii basudee <\/em>is the \u548c\u88fd\u82f1\u8a9e\uff08wasei-eigo<\/a><\/em>\uff09, or English loan word birthday greeting. It is Happy birthday! <\/em>with a Japanese accent. As with many loan phrases, happii basudee<\/em> is less formal than o tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu. <\/em><\/p>\n

This way of saying \u201chappy birthday\u201d in Japanese is recommended to be used among friends and family, not with your boss.<\/p>\n

\u4f55\u6b73\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f\/\u304a\u3044\u304f\u3064\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff1f\uff08nansai desuka? \/ o ikutsu desu ka?\uff09<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hopefully, you won\u2019t need to ask this question (especially at a birthday party). \u4f55\u6b73\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff08nansai desu ka<\/em>\uff09means How old are you? <\/em>\u304a\u3044\u304f\u3064\u3067\u3059\u304b\uff08o ikutsu desu ka<\/em>\uff09has the same meaning with a slightly more formal nuance.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re on the receiving end of this question, respond using the Japanese numbering system<\/a> and add \uff5e\u6b73\u3067\u3059\uff08-sai desu<\/em>\uff09to depict how many years old you are.<\/p>\n

\u4e7e\u676f\uff01\uff08kanpai!<\/em>\uff09<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u4e7e\u676f\uff08kanpai<\/em>\uff09is the Japanese drinking cheer. Even if the birthday party consists of underage people, it\u2019s traditional to begin a celebration with a toast. In fact, it\u2019s considered rude to eat before the kanpai. <\/em>Drinking culture is a big part of Japanese celebrations, even if you\u2019re only drinking green tea.<\/p>\n

\u3064\u307e\u3089\u306a\u3044\u3082\u306e\u3067\u3059\u304c\u2026\uff08tsumaranai mono desu ga\u2026<\/em>\uff09<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re giving a gift to the birthday person, saying \u3064\u307e\u3089\u306a\u3044\u3082\u306e\u3067\u3059\u304c\u2026\uff08tusmaranai mono desu ga\u2026<\/em>\uff09will certainly impress them. The phrase means, \u201cthis isn\u2019t much, but\u2026\u201d and lends a Japanese sense of humility to your gift-giving. If you\u2019re giving a gift to a close friend or someone of your own age, this phrase might be a little too formal. You might want to say \u3069\u3046\u305e (douzo<\/em>), which means\u00a0Here you are,<\/em> instead.<\/p>\n

\u7d20\u6674\u3089\u3057\u3044\u4e00\u5e74\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3088\u3046\u306b\uff08subarashii ichi nen ni narimasu you ni<\/em>\uff09<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The phrase \u7d20\u6674\u3089\u3057\u3044\u4e00\u5e74\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3088\u3046\u306b\uff08subarashii ichi nen ni narimasu you ni<\/em>\uff09is great for wishing the birthday person well. It means, May you have a wonderful year.<\/em> The ending \uff5e\u3088\u3046\u306b\uff08-you ni<\/em>\uff09implies a prayer or a wish.<\/p>\n

\u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff08arigatou gozaimasu<\/em>\uff09<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cThank you\u201d is a phrase that\u2019s bound to come up during birthday parties. There are many ways<\/a> to express thanks in Japanese, but \u3042\u308a\u304c\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff08arigatou gozaimasu<\/em>\uff09is the most common.<\/p>\n

Special Birthdays in Japan<\/h2>\n

Some birthdays in Japan are considered special milestones due to Japan\u2019s roots in the Chinese zodiac and other cultural factors.<\/p>\n

\u4e8c\u5341\u6b73\uff08hatachji<\/em>\uff09- Coming of Age Birthday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

20th<\/sup> birthdays in Japan are big events. Young people celebrate their 20th<\/sup> birthdays with alcohol and loud parties, much like America\u2019s 18th<\/sup> birthday party celebrations. There\u2019s also a special ceremony for 20-year-olds called \u6210\u4eba\u5f0f<\/a>\uff08seijin shiki<\/em>\uff09 in January. Everyone who turned 20 in the previous year wears flashy traditional clothing and celebrates with friends and family. Hatachi <\/em>is also the only \u201cspecial\u201d Japanese birthday that\u2019s totally unrelated to the Chinese zodiac cycle.<\/p>\n

\u9084\u66a6\uff08kanreki<\/em>\uff09- The \u201cRed\u201d Birthday<\/h2>\n

Kanreki <\/em>is the 60th<\/sup> birthday in one\u2019s life. It\u2019s a big year according to the Chinese zodiac, representing a full completion of the five cycles. The person being celebrated is given a red piece of clothing<\/a> to represent new birth. Since the five cycles are complete, they are essentially \u201creborn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even in the modern sense of things, kanreki<\/em> offers a chance at a new life. 60 is the official retirement age in Japan, and some may consider moving on to a new lifestyle without the daily grind of work to hassle them.<\/p>\n

\u559c\u5bff\uff08kiju<\/em>\uff09- The \u201cLucky\u201d Birthday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

To celebrate one\u2019s 77th<\/sup> birthday in Japan is to celebrate \u559c\u5bff\uff08kiju<\/em>\uff09, or a year of good fortune. This belief came about by disassembling the archaic form of the kanji \u559c\u5bff. Broken into pieces, this kanji represents \u201cluck\u201d or \u201chigh fortune.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u7c73\u5bff\uff08beiju<\/em>\uff09- The \u201cRice\u201d Birthday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Turning 88 in Japan gives one the chance to celebrate \u7c73\u5bff\uff08beiju<\/em>\uff09, or the rice year. Rice, associated with wealth and material fortune in old Japan, can be created by combining the kanji for 88 (\u516b\u5341\u516b). It might be difficult to see the \u7c73 \uff08bei<\/em>, rice\uff09without writing it out with a pen. Nevertheless, year 88 in one\u2019s life is a milestone for wealth and comfortable living.<\/p>\n

\u767d\u5bff\uff08hakuju<\/em>\uff09 – The \u201cWhite\u201d Birthday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The 99th<\/sup> birthday is known as the \u201cwhite\u201d birthday, and it\u2019s sort of a play on words. Because 99 is 100 minus 1, Japanese people take the kanji for 1, or \u4e00\uff08ichi<\/em>\uff09 away from the kanji for 100, or \u767e\uff08hyaku<\/em>\uff09. The result is the kanji \u767d\uff08shiro<\/em>\uff09, which means \u201cwhite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u767e\u5bff\uff08hyakuju\uff09- Stepping into Centenarian Life<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Of course, the 100th<\/sup> birthday in Japan is simply called \u201c100th<\/sup>\u201d with the word \u767e\u5bff\uff08hyakuju<\/em>\uff09. Japan\u2019s population is filling with more and more centenarians, or people living into their hundreds. That doesn\u2019t make this birthday celebrating a century of life any less important. Let\u2019s all aim to reach our hyakuju <\/em>birthdays!<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

While birthday parties in the Western sense of the world are fairly new to Japan, birthday traditions reach far into the country\u2019s rich history. We hope that you\u2019ve learned something from this article about how to say \u201chappy birthday\u201d in Japanese and birthday celebrations in Japan.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s always fun to celebrate a birthday with friends, so try to remember what we discussed. To test your memory, here\u2019s a quick quiz on what we covered!<\/p>\n

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How do you say \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d to a friend?<\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. \u304a\u305f\u3093\u3058\u3087\u3046\u3073\u304a\u3081\u3067\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059\uff08o tanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n
  2. \u4e7e\u676f\uff01\uff08kanpai!<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n
  3. \u7d20\u6674\u3089\u3057\u3044\u4e00\u5e74\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3088\u3046\u306b\uff08subarashii ichi nen ni narimasu you ni<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n
  4. \u304a\u305f\u3093\u3058\u3087\u3046\u3073\u304a\u3081\u3067\u3068\u3046\uff08o tanjoubi omedetou<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    When did Japanese people start celebrating Western-style birthdays?<\/h4>\n
      \n
    1. The Edo Period.<\/li>\n
    2. The early 1800s.<\/li>\n
    3. When the Dutch first entered Japan.<\/li>\n
    4. The 1950s.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Which birthday is the \u201crice\u201d birthday?<\/h4>\n
        \n
      1. The 20th<\/sup> birthday.<\/li>\n
      2. The 88th<\/sup> birthday.<\/li>\n
      3. The 70th<\/sup> birthday.<\/li>\n
      4. The 77th<\/sup> birthday.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        How do you say, \u201cIt\u2019s nothing much, but\u2026\u201d when giving a birthday present?<\/h4>\n
          \n
        1. \u3064\u307e\u3089\u306a\u3044\u3082\u306e\u3067\u3059\u304c\u2026\uff08tsumaranai mono desu ga\u2026<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n
        2. \u7d20\u6674\u3089\u3057\u3044\u4e00\u5e74\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3088\u3046\u306b\u2026\uff08subarashii ichi nen ni narimasu you ni\u2026<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n
        3. \u304a\u3044\u304f\u3064\u3067\u3059\u304b\u2026\uff08o ikutsu desu ka\u2026<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n
        4. \u3053\u306e\u30ec\u30b9\u30c8\u30e9\u30f3\u306f\u7d20\u6575\u3067\u3059\u2026\uff08kono resutoran wa suteki desu\u2026<\/em>\uff09<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Answers: <\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. D<\/li>\n
          2. D<\/li>\n
          3. C<\/li>\n
          4. A<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            \n

            Learn Japanese in context with Clozemaster<\/h2>\n

            Clozemaster\u00a0<\/strong>has been designed to help you learn the language in context by filling in the gaps in authentic sentences. With\u00a0features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in Japanese.<\/p>\n

            Take your Japanese to the next level. Click here to start practicing with real Japanese sentences!<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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