星期
xīngqī/ɕiŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵/
The phrase "days of the week" in Chinese is 星期, or xīngqī.
星期 is used to refer to the week or the days within a week. For example, you can say 这个星期一 to mean "this Monday".
What does it mean word for word?
The term 星期 (xīngqī) literally means "star period".
Which one should you use?
While 星期 is the standard term, you may encounter 礼拜 (lǐbài), which is a common colloquial alternative for the days of the week. You can also use the single character 周 (zhōu) as a more formal or concise synonym for the week.
How does it change in a sentence?
To name specific days from Monday through Saturday, you simply add a number from one to six after 星期. However, Sunday is typically expressed as 星期日 (xīngqīrì) or 星期天 (xīngqītiān) rather than using a number.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is xīngqī.
Did you know?
- Ancient Chinese calendars did not use a seven-day week, and the numerical system for 星期 was adopted later from Buddhist and astrological influences.
- The character 礼拜 (lǐbài) has religious connotations, originally meaning 'to worship' or 'to visit a temple', which is why it is used for the week.
- The 'star' in 星期 refers to the seven celestial bodies known to ancient astronomers: the sun, the moon, and five planets. This mirrors the 'planetary' roots of weekdays in Latin and Germanic languages.
Examples in context
- 一週有星期一、二、三、四、五、六、日。Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the days of the week.This sentence lists the names of the days of the week using 星期.Tatoeba #13556487 by LeviHighway, translation #3143769 by Ricardo14
- 这个星期有几个星期天？zhè ge xīngqī yǒu jǐ ge xīngqītiān?How many Sundays are there this week?
- 我每个星期五都很忙。wǒ měi ge xīngqīwǔ dōu hěn máng.I am very busy every Friday.
Example conversation
志强 asks 梓涵 about her schedule for the upcoming week.
- 志强 Zhiqiang梓涵，你下个星期几有空？zǐhán, nǐ xià ge xīngqī jǐ yǒu kòng?Zihan, which day of the week next week are you free?
- 梓涵 Zihan我星期三下午可以。wǒ xīngqī sān xiàwǔ kěyǐ.I am free on Wednesday afternoon.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我们星期三下午见。nà wǒmen xīngqī sān xiàwǔ jiàn.Then let's meet on Wednesday afternoon.
- 梓涵 Zihan好的，到时候见。hǎo de, dào shíhou jiàn.Okay, see you then.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 星期, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
