How to Write 诞 (dàn) — Meaning “birth; absurd”

Imagine someone using their tongue (speech radical 讠) to stretch out the word 'birth' — like saying 'Happy Birthday!' with a long, drawn-out voice. The right part 延 looks like a person stretching, so you can picture a person stretching to announce a birth.

Start with the left radical 讠: write a dot first, then a horizontal stroke that curves slightly down. Then write the right part 延: a left-falling stroke, a horizontal, a vertical, a horizontal fold, a straight horizontal, and finally a curved hook. Keep the left side narrow and the right side wider, and make sure the bottom hook of 延 extends clearly.

All three share the speech radical 讠, but their right parts differ. 讲 has 井 (a well) and means 'to speak or explain.' 讳 has 韦 (leather) and means 'to avoid mentioning' (taboo). 诞 uses 延, which gives the character its unique meanings of birth and absurdity, and visually 诞 has a curved hook at the bottom that 讲 and 讳 lack.

You most often see 诞 in 圣诞 (shèng dàn, Christmas) and 诞生 (dàn shēng, to be born), both formal words. 荒诞 (huāng dàn, absurd) is used in literature or criticism. Culturally, 圣诞 is widely celebrated in China as a festive occasion, though it has no religious meaning for most people.

Common words containing 诞 include: 圣诞 (shèng dàn) — Christmas; birth of a saint; 诞生 (dàn shēng) — to be born; emergence; 荒诞 (huāng dàn) — Absurd; fantastic; preposterous.