生

• Pinyin: shēng
• Hanzi breakdown: 生 = pictograph of a plant growing from the ground, meaning 'to be born, to grow'

Meaning

To give birth to; to be born. Indicates the act of bringing new life into the world.

As a verb, primarily means to give birth to a child or to be born. Also appears in many compounds: 生日 (birthday), 生活 (life), 生病 (get sick), 学生 (student). In this standalone usage, it focuses on birth and producing offspring.

Examples

1. 她去年生了一个女儿。 She gave birth to a daughter last year.
2. 弟弟是二零零五年生的。 My younger brother was born in 2005.
3. 他们家生了三个孩子。 Their family has had three children.

Usage Guide

Context: family, everyday, personal information

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你是哪一年生的？(What year were you born?)
• 她刚生了一个男孩。(She just gave birth to a boy.)

Don't Say

• 不要单独说'我生在北京' (Don't say 我生在北京 as a standalone — say 我是在北京出生的 or 我在北京出生; the full word 出生 is more natural for 'was born in a place')

Origin & History

Pictograph of a plant sprouting from the ground. The original meaning was 'to grow, to come into being,' which extended to birth and life.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal