Learning how to say the days of the week in different languages can be a fun and exciting way to expand your cultural knowledge. If you’re interested in learning how to say the days of the week in Chinese, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, we will explore both the formal and informal ways to express the days of the week in Mandarin Chinese.
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Say the Days of the Week in Chinese
When it comes to expressing the days of the week formally in Mandarin Chinese, there is a specific set of words commonly used. Below you will find a list of the days of the week along with their corresponding translations:
List of Days of the Week (Formal)
- Monday: 星期一 (xīng qī yī)
- Tuesday: 星期二 (xīng qī èr)
- Wednesday: 星期三 (xīng qī sān)
- Thursday: 星期四 (xīng qī sì)
- Friday: 星期五 (xīng qī wǔ)
- Saturday: 星期六 (xīng qī liù)
- Sunday: 星期日/星期天 (xīng qī rì/xīng qī tiān)
Fun fact: In Mandarin Chinese, the term “xingqi” means “week” and when paired with the corresponding number, it forms the word for each day of the week.
Examples:
To help you better understand how to use these words, let’s see them in context with a few examples:
- 我在星期一上班。 (Wǒ zài xīng qī yī shàng bān.) – I work on Monday.
- 我们计划在星期六去旅行。 (Wǒ men jì huà zài xīng qī liù qù lǚ xíng.) – We plan to travel on Saturday.
- 星期二是我的生日。 (Xīng qī èr shì wǒ de shēng rì.) – Tuesday is my birthday.
Informal Ways to Say the Days of the Week in Chinese
In informal spoken Chinese, it is also common to use another set of words to express the days of the week. These informal terms are commonly used in daily conversations and between friends or family members. Here’s a list of the informal ways to say the days of the week in Mandarin Chinese:
List of Days of the Week (Informal)
- Monday: 礼拜一 (lǐ bài yī)
- Tuesday: 礼拜二 (lǐ bài èr)
- Wednesday: 礼拜三 (lǐ bài sān)
- Thursday: 礼拜四 (lǐ bài sì)
- Friday: 礼拜五 (lǐ bài wǔ)
- Saturday: 礼拜六 (lǐ bài liù)
- Sunday: 礼拜天 (lǐ bài tiān)
Tip: The term “libai” is often used to mean “week” in informal settings.
Examples:
Let’s see these informal terms in action with some example sentences:
- 我礼拜一有个重要的会议。 (Wǒ lǐ bài yī yǒu gè zhòng yào de huì yì.) – I have an important meeting on Monday.
- 他们礼拜六要去看电影。 (Tā men lǐ bài liù yào qù kàn diàn yǐng.) – They will go to watch a movie on Saturday.
- 礼拜三是我们公司的休息日。 (Lǐ bài sān shì wǒ men gōng sī de xiū xi rì.) – Wednesday is our company’s day off.
Wrapping Up
Congratulations! You have now learned how to say the days of the week in Chinese in both formal and informal ways. Remember to use the formal terms when speaking in official or professional settings, and the informal terms when having casual conversations. Practice using these words in context, and soon you’ll be confident in expressing the days of the week in Mandarin Chinese!
