誕 means “birth”

たん · tan

Also: nativity, be born, declension, lie

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

タン

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 15 strokes

The story

Words (言) stretched long (延): the Shuowen dictionary says 誕 once meant tall talk, but today it means birth. 誕生日 is a birthday, and museums mark a great artist's 生誕百年, a hundred years since birth.

Used in 誕生日 (tanjoubi, birthday), 誕生 (tanjou, birth), and 生誕 (seitan, birth, in anniversaries)

More from Kin & Cradle

• 妊 pregnant
• 稚 young
• 嫁 bride
• 娠 pregnancy
• 胎 womb
• 叔 uncle
• 姻 marriage
• 婿 son-in-law
• 嫡 legitimate heir
• 嗣 heir
• 哺 nurse
• 戚 relatives

Learn 誕 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.