Meaning
出生 means 'to be born' and refers to the act or fact of coming into existence as a baby. It combines 出 (to come out) and 生 (to give birth, to live), literally meaning 'to come out into life.' This is the standard, neutral term used in everyday conversation, medical contexts, and official documents when discussing someone's birth.
Usage
出生 is commonly used with time words to indicate when someone was born (出生于...) or location words to show where someone was born. It's neutral and appropriate in all registers. Native speakers often say '我出生在...' (I was born in...) when introducing their hometown or birth year. The noun form also means 'birth' as in 出生日期 (date of birth).
Examples
- 01我出生在上海，但是在北京长大。, .I was born in Shanghai, but grew up in Beijing.
- 02她的女儿是2020年出生的。' .Her daughter was born in 2020.
Characters
Common collocations
- 出生日期date of birth
- 出生地birthplace
- 出生于to be born in/at
- 出生证明birth certificate
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines the concept of 'coming out' (出) with 'life/birth' (生), creating a natural metaphor for the moment a baby emerges into life.