誕
nativity, be born, declension, lie, be arbitrary
Readings
On'yomi
- タン
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
誕 centers on coming into existence or being brought forth: being born or nativity. The senses of lying or being arbitrary are extensions of making something up or fabricating a story out of nothing.
Most common words using 誕
20 of 41- 誕生たんじょうN3
birth (of a person); nativity
- 生誕せいたんN1
birth (esp. of a famous person); nativity
- 爆誕ばくたん
sudden emergence; sudden formation; coming out of nowhere; bursting onto the scene
- 誕生石たんじょうせき
birthstone
- 天皇誕生日てんのうたんじょうび
Emperor's Birthday (national holiday; February 23)
- 降誕こうたん
birth (of a saint, monarch, etc.); nativity
- 聖誕祭せいたんさい
Christmas
- 誕生日たんじょうびN5
birthday
- お誕生日おたんじょうび
birthday
- お誕生日おめでとうございますおたんじょうびおめでとうございます
happy birthday
- お誕生会おたんじょうかい
birthday party
- お誕生日おめでとうおたんじょうびおめでとう
happy birthday!
- お誕生日席おたんじょうびせき
(seat at) the head of the table; seat of honour (honor)
- キリスト生誕群像キリストせいたんぐんぞう
Nativity group; Christmas crib
- キリスト降誕祭キリストこうたんさい
Christmas
- ビクトリア女王誕生日ビクトリアじょおうたんじょうび
Victoria Day (Canadian public holiday)
- 再誕さいたん
rebirth; reincarnation
- 処女降誕しょじょこうたん
virgin birth (esp. of Jesus)
- 初誕生はつたんじょう
first birthday
- 桃太郎の誕生ももたろうのたんじょう
The Birth of Momotaro (book by Yanagita Kunio)
Study
Etymology
誕 combines 言 (speech) with 延, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of extending or stretching. The core meaning of birth may come from the idea of extending a family line, while the lying sense relates to stretching the truth with words.
Meaning mnemonic
Words 言 that stretch 延 the truth can give birth to lies. Picture a tall tale being born from someone's mouth.
Reading mnemonic
For タン, imagine a tanuki giving birth to a litter of little tanuki while telling tall tales: tan -> タン.