ceot1 sang1出生

Jyutpingceot1 sang1

Yalechēut sāng

Common

Definition

To be born or come into existence.

neutralpeopleanimals

How it's used

While 出生 is understood by everyone, it carries a formal or administrative tone often found on government forms or official documents. In casual daily conversation, native speakers almost exclusively use 出世 to describe the act of being born. Using 出生 in a friendly chat can sound slightly stiff or like you are reading from a report.

Examples

keoi5佢喺hai2香hoeng1港gong2出ceot1生，sang1好hou2細sai3個go3就zau6移ji4民。

He was born in Hong Kong and emigrated when he was very young.

nei5你zi1知m4唔zi1知le1呢zek3隻maau1貓gei2幾si4時ceot1出sang1生aa4呀？

Do you know when this cat was born?

Common phrases

ceot1出sang1生dei6地

place of birth

ceot1出sang1生jat6日kei4期

date of birth

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 出世, which is the natural, everyday verb for being born. Using 出生 in casual speech is not grammatically wrong, but it sounds like you are filling out a form rather than talking to a friend.