出生
chū shēng HSK 4

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

我出生在北京。
Wǒ chūshēng zài Běijīng.
I was born in Beijing.
他出生在春天。
Tā chūshēng zài chūntiān.
He was born in spring.
她出生在1990年。
Tā chūshēng zài yī jiǔ jiǔ líng nián.
She was born in 1990.
我出生在上海。
Wǒ chūshēng zài Shànghǎi.
I was born in Shanghai.
他出生在春天。
Tā chūshēng zài chūntiān.
He was born in spring.

💡 Memory Tip

Break it down: 出 (chū) means 'to exit' or 'come out,' and 生 (shēng) means 'to give birth' or 'life.' So, 出生 literally means 'to exit birth' → 'to be born.'

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in tone and commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, in spoken and written Chinese. It frequently appears in biographical information, official documents (like ID cards), and everyday conversations about birthdates or origins.

📖 Grammar Points

Often used with time/location complements: e.g., '出生在 + place/time' (出生在北京, 出生在1990年). It can be modified by adverbs like 刚 (gāng, just) or 同 (tóng, same).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, precise birth details (year, month, day, hour) are sometimes considered significant for traditions like astrology or naming. Official documents always require 出生日期 (date of birth).

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 诞生 (dànshēng), which also means 'to be born' but is more formal/literary and often used for notable figures or events, 出生 is more everyday and neutral. 生产 (shēngchǎn) means 'to give birth' (from the parent's perspective) or 'to produce,' differing in focus.

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