Meaning and Usage
"誕生" (たんじょう) primarily means "birth" and is used to describe the event of being born, whether referring to a person, an organization, or an abstract concept like an idea.
Common Contexts
It is often used in formal or neutral contexts such as celebrating a baby's birth, the founding of a company, or the emergence of new concepts.
Collocations and Patterns
- 誕生する: to be born or to come into existence (used for people, companies, ideas)
- 誕生を祝う: to celebrate a birth
- 誕生年: year of birth
Usage Notes
When using 誕生, it implies the beginning or origin of something significant. It is more formal than 生まれる (うまれる), which is the general verb for "to be born." Learners should avoid confusing 誕生 with 生まれる; 誕生 is often used in written or formal speech, while 生まれる is more common in everyday conversation.
Common Mistake
Do not use 誕生 to describe the birth of animals or plants in casual speech; 生まれる is preferred there. Also, 誕生 is not used as a verb alone; it always appears with する to form 誕生する.