Difference between revisions of "Structure of days of the week"
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*今天 是 <em>星期一</em> 吗？<span class="expl">(This 是 is optional.)</span><span class="pinyin">Jīntiān shì <em>Xīngqīyī</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Is today Monday?</span>
 
*今天 是 <em>星期一</em> 吗？<span class="expl">(This 是 is optional.)</span><span class="pinyin">Jīntiān shì <em>Xīngqīyī</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">Is today Monday?</span>
−
*明天 <em>星期五</em>，太 高兴 了。<span class="expl">(The optional 是 here is omitted.)</span><span class="pinyin">Míngtiān <em>Xīngqīwǔ</em>, tài gāoxìngle.</span><span class="trans">Tomorrow is Friday, I'm so happy.</span>
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*明天 <em>星期五</em>，太 高兴 了。<span class="expl">(The optional 是 here is omitted.)</span><span class="pinyin">Míngtiān <em>Xīngqīwǔ</em>, tài gāoxìng le.</span><span class="trans">Tomorrow is Friday. I'm so happy.</span>
−
* <em>星期三</em> 我 不在 上海。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Xīngqīsān</em> wǒ bù zài shànghǎi.</span><span class="trans">I'm not here in Shanghai on Wednesday.</span>
+
* <em>星期三</em> 我 不在 上海。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Xīngqīsān</em> wǒ bù zài Shànghǎi.</span><span class="trans">I'm not here in Shanghai on Wednesday.</span>
 
* <em>星期二</em> 早上 我 很 忙。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Xīngqī'èr</em> zǎoshàng wǒ hěn máng.</span><span class="trans">I am busy on Tuesday morning.</span>
 
* <em>星期二</em> 早上 我 很 忙。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Xīngqī'èr</em> zǎoshàng wǒ hěn máng.</span><span class="trans">I am busy on Tuesday morning.</span>
 
* 你 <em>星期天</em> 要 做 什么？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>Xīngqītiān</em> yào zuò shénme?</span><span class="trans">What are you doing on Sunday?</span>
 
* 你 <em>星期天</em> 要 做 什么？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>Xīngqītiān</em> yào zuò shénme?</span><span class="trans">What are you doing on Sunday?</span>
−
* 上 个 <em>星期五</em> 我 跟 他 见面 了。<span class="pinyin">Shàng gè <em>Xīngqīwǔ</em> wǒ gēn tā jiànmiàn le.</span><span class="trans">I met him last Friday.</span>
+
* 上 个 <em>星期五</em> 我 跟 他 见面 了。<span class="pinyin">Shàng ge <em>Xīngqīwǔ</em> wǒ gēn tā jiànmiàn le.</span><span class="trans">I met him last Friday.</span>
 
* 这 个 <em>星期三</em> 晚上 你 有空 吗？<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge <em>Xīngqīsān</em> wǎnshàng nǐ yǒu kòng ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you free this Wednesday evening ?</span>
 
* 这 个 <em>星期三</em> 晚上 你 有空 吗？<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge <em>Xīngqīsān</em> wǎnshàng nǐ yǒu kòng ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you free this Wednesday evening ?</span>
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* 下 个 <em>星期四</em> 是 我 的 生日。<span class="pinyin">Xià gè <em>Xīngqīsì</em> shì wǒ de shēngrì.</span><span class="trans">My birthday is on next Thursday.</span>
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* 下 个 <em>星期四</em> 是 我 的 生日。<span class="pinyin">Xià ge <em>Xīngqīsì</em> shì wǒ de shēngrì.</span><span class="trans">My birthday is on next Thursday.</span>
 
* 这个 <em>星期五</em> 晚上 我们 要 去 酒吧。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge <em>Xīngqīwǔ</em> wǎnshàng wǒmen yào qù jiǔbā.</span><span class="trans">We're going to a bar this Friday night.</span>
 
* 这个 <em>星期五</em> 晚上 我们 要 去 酒吧。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge <em>Xīngqīwǔ</em> wǎnshàng wǒmen yào qù jiǔbā.</span><span class="trans">We're going to a bar this Friday night.</span>
 
* <em>星期六</em> 和 <em>星期天</em> 我们 不 上班。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Xīngqīliù</em> hé <em>Xīngqītiān</em> wǒmen bù shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">Saturday and Sunday we don't work.</span>
 
* <em>星期六</em> 和 <em>星期天</em> 我们 不 上班。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Xīngqīliù</em> hé <em>Xīngqītiān</em> wǒmen bù shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">Saturday and Sunday we don't work.</span>

Revision as of 08:16, 13 February 2016

星期 (xīngqī) means "week" in Chinese. This is also used to indicate which weekday you are talking about.

Structure

Days of the week in Chinese are formed by the word "week" followed by a number:

English Chinese
Monday 星期一
Xīngqīyī
Tuesday 星期二
Xīngqī'èr
Wednesday 星期三
Xīngqīsān
Thursday 星期四
Xīngqīsì
Friday 星期五
Xīngqīwǔ
Saturday 星期六
Xīngqīliù
Sunday 星期天
Xīngqītiān

Notice that Sunday is the only exception. Rather than a number, 天 (tiān) is used. More formally, Sunday is also referred to as 星期日 (xīngqīrì).

One other implication of this system that you may not have noticed: "day one" is Monday. In Chinese culture, the first day of the week is Monday, and not Sunday.

Examples

  • 今天 是 星期一 吗？(This 是 is optional.)Jīntiān shì Xīngqīyī ma?Is today Monday?
  • 明天 星期五，太 高兴 了。(The optional 是 here is omitted.)Míngtiān Xīngqīwǔ, tài gāoxìng le.Tomorrow is Friday. I'm so happy.
  • 星期三 我 不在 上海。Xīngqīsān wǒ bù zài Shànghǎi.I'm not here in Shanghai on Wednesday.
  • 星期二 早上 我 很 忙。Xīngqī'èr zǎoshàng wǒ hěn máng.I am busy on Tuesday morning.
  • 你 星期天 要 做 什么？Nǐ Xīngqītiān yào zuò shénme?What are you doing on Sunday?
  • 上 个 星期五 我 跟 他 见面 了。Shàng ge Xīngqīwǔ wǒ gēn tā jiànmiàn le.I met him last Friday.
  • 这 个 星期三 晚上 你 有空 吗？Zhè ge Xīngqīsān wǎnshàng nǐ yǒu kòng ma?Are you free this Wednesday evening ?
  • 下 个 星期四 是 我 的 生日。Xià ge Xīngqīsì shì wǒ de shēngrì.My birthday is on next Thursday.
  • 这个 星期五 晚上 我们 要 去 酒吧。Zhè ge Xīngqīwǔ wǎnshàng wǒmen yào qù jiǔbā.We're going to a bar this Friday night.
  • 星期六 和 星期天 我们 不 上班。 Xīngqīliù hé Xīngqītiān wǒmen bù shàngbān.Saturday and Sunday we don't work.

Other words for "week"

Hopefully this doesn't freak you out, but there are actually two other ways to say "week" in Chinese. You should still learn 星期 (xīngqī) first, and that's really all you need as a beginner.

The other words for "week" are 礼拜 (lǐbài) and 周 (zhōu). Skip them for now unless you really need them.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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