Learn 7 days a week in Chinese, fast and clear

Have you ever wondered how they can transform your Mandarin Chinese language weekdays? They are essential for organizing your daily life. Learning it is very simple, much easier than in Spanish, since they follow a numerical order so you will have no problem remembering them.

In this article, we'll give you practical phrases and useful examples so you can use the days of the week in Mandarin Chinese in everyday conversations. Get ready to take another step towards fluency in Chinese!

How do you say the days of the week in Chinese?

Perfect. Now we move on to the "week": 星期 (xīngqí), which can also be 周 (zhōu). The days of the week in Chinese are counted from Monday to Sunday. For this reason, each day has its number, starting with Monday. Thus, the "day 1 of the week" is said: 星期一 (xīngqí yī) or 周一 (zhōuyī). The only exception is Sunday, as we will see.

Days of the week in Chinese with 周 (zhōu)

You can use either way to say "Sunday" in Chinese. Sunday is special because, instead of a number, it has 日 (rì), which means "sun". In fact, Sundays are a good day to be in the sun! 😊

• 星期日 (xīngqírì): This is the most formal and comprehensive form, commonly used in documents or situations that require serious language.
• 星期天 (xīngqítiān): This form is more colloquial and is used in everyday conversations, as it sounds more relaxed and friendly.

In addition to these differences, it is important not to confuse other terms related to the days of the week. For example, "星期" (xīngqí) is commonly used to refer to days in everyday situations, while "周" (zhōu) is used more in formal or academic contexts.

Example of using 星期 (xīngqí) vs 周 (zhōu) for days of the week in Chinese

• Correct: "今天是星期三。 " (Jīntiān shì xīngqísān.) — "Today is Wednesday."
• Misuse: "今天是周三。 " (Jīntiān shì zhōusān.) — Although this can be understood, it is less common in everyday conversations.

To avoid confusion, use "星期" when talking about the days of the week in everyday situations and reserve "周" for more formal contexts.

In addition to learning the days of the week, it is interesting to note that Chinese culture gives a symbolic value to numbers. For example, the number one (一, yī) symbolizes new beginnings and leadership, which makes Monday seen by some as a day of opportunity to start the week off on the right foot. These kinds of cultural details can make learning Chinese not only practical, but also a gateway to a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

Pronunciation and tone

• Importance of Tones:
  • Mandarin Chinese pronunciation is critical because of the tones. Each word can change meaning depending on the tone used. For example:
    • 星期 (xīngqí) has a high pitch (first tone).
    • 天 (tiān) also has a high pitch.

Some phrases and examples of the days of the week in Chinese

• What day is today?
  今天是星期几?(Jīntiān shì xīngqí jǐ?)

• Today is Friday.
  今天是星期五。 (Jīntiān shì xīngqíwǔ.)

• From Monday to Friday I go to school.
  我从星期一到星期五去学校。 (Wǒ cóng xīngqí yī dào xīngqíwǔ qù xuéxiào.)*

• My sister works on Wednesdays and Fridays.
  我姐姐在星期三和星期五工作。 (Wǒ jiějiě zài xīngqísān hé xīngqíwǔ gōngzuò.)

• Tomorrow is Saturday.
  明天是周六。 Míngtiān shì zhōu liù.

• Yesterday was Thursday.
  昨天是星期四。 (Zuótiān shì xīngqísì.)

• I eat rice every day.
  我每天吃米饭。 (Wǒ měitiān chī mǐfàn.)

*To say "from/from ... up to" is used 从 ... 到 (cong ... dào).

To practice how the days of the week are heard in Chinese, take advantage of the videos and we also leave you a podcast that will help you with basic pronunciation aspects:

What did you think about knowing the days of the week in Chinese? Not bad, right? Surely you want to continue learning. The next step could be, perhaps, the months of the year? This way you can organize your agenda well!

There is no doubt, studying this fascinating language will open the doors to many opportunities. For this reason, at our oriental language school we will be happy to help you, although if you want to learn a language beyond the limits of Asia you can also visit us at Trainlang. Contact us and request your free class!