dàn

birth

Original meaning: 

tell false words

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "tell false words". The meaning later shifted to "boast", "increase", and "give birth".

Components
言 meaning component

  Meaning component

yán

  

speech

延 sound component

  Sound component

yán

  

delay

Evolution

誕 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
誕 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
誕 Clerical script Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Clerical script

Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
誕 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

dàn

to bear children, give birth; birth; birthday; brag; boast; to increase

Most common words with 誕
Freq.
Word
Meaning

圣诞

Christmas

圣诞节

Christmas time

诞生

to be born

圣诞老人

Father Christmas

圣诞树

Christmas tree