birth

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is たん. It has 15 strokes and relates to the birth or creation of a person or new thing.
• Basic usage: 誕生 is read たんじょう, and 誕生日 is read たんじょうび.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 誕生 and 誕生日
  • 誕生 means birth or creation. It refers both to a person's birth and to the creation of something new, such as a facility or organization.
  • 村に新しい図書館が誕生した。 means “A new library opened in the village.”
  • 誕生日 means birthday. It refers to the birthday observed each year on the date a person was born.
  • 家族が私の誕生日をケーキで祝ってくれた。 means “My family celebrated my birthday with a cake.”