How to say "birth" in Japanese

• 誕生たんじょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers the birth of a person, as in announcing a baby's arrival; it also corresponds to the sense 'nativity'.
• 生まれうまれJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounRefers to a person's birth, especially in phrases giving when or where someone was born; it also means birthplace.
  私は生うまれも育そだちも東京とうきょうだ。↗

  I was born and raised in Tokyo.
• 出生しゅっしょうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA formal word for birth, found mainly in official, legal, and statistical contexts rather than casual conversation.
  新あたらしい出生しゅっしょう政策せいさくは人口じんこう増加ぞうかゼロをめざしています。↗

  The new birth policy is aimed at achieving zero population growth.
• 素性すじょうCommon
  nounNot the event of birth: it denotes a person's background — lineage, parentage, origin. Seldom the word you want for 'birth' itself; use it when talking about who someone is or where they come from.
• 生誕せいたんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbRefers to the birth of a famous person, as in commemorations of historical figures; it also matches 'nativity'. It is not the word for an ordinary baby's birth.

Use 誕生 for the birth of a person, 「生まれ」 when saying when or where someone was born, 出生 in formal or official contexts, 素性 for a person's background or lineage, and 生誕 for the births of famous figures.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 誕生たんじょうbirth (of a person)
• 生まれうまれbirth
• 出生しゅっしょうbirth
• 素性すじょうbirth
• 生誕せいたんbirth (esp. of a famous person)
• 生みうみbirth
• 発生はっせいoccurrence
• 血統けっとうlineage
• 身元みもと(one's) identity
• 氏うじfamily name
• 創生そうせいcreation
• 降誕こうたんbirth (of a saint, monarch, etc.)
• 出産しゅっさんchildbirth
• お産おさん(giving) birth
• 産さん(giving) birth
• 畑はたけwomb
• 身分みぶんidentity