What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 周末 (zhōumò), meaning 'weekend' and 愉快 (yúkuài), meaning 'happy' or 'pleasant'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While 周末愉快 is a polite way to say 'have a nice weekend', you can increase the level of respect by using the phrase 祝您周末愉快 (wishing you a pleasant weekend) when speaking to elders or superiors. For an even more formal tone, you might use 请尽情享受您的周末 to mean 'please enjoy your weekend to the fullest'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase can be expanded into a complete sentence by adding 祝你 (zhù nǐ) to the beginning, resulting in 祝你周末愉快, which means 'I wish you a pleasant weekend'.
How do you pronounce it?
zhōumò yúkuài
When do people say it?
When someone wishes you a nice weekend, a common and natural way to respond is 谢谢，你也是 (xièxiè, nǐ yěshì), which means 'thanks, you too'.
Did you know?
- The character 愉 (yú) in 愉快 is often associated with a sense of inner peace and contentment, rather than just the loud, outward excitement associated with the word 快乐 (kuàilè).
- In mainland China, you might notice people using 周末快乐 (zhōumò kuàilè) instead of 周末愉快. While both mean 'happy weekend', 快乐 is often used for more festive or celebratory occasions.
- Because Chinese culture places high value on politeness, responding to 周末愉快 with a simple 'thanks' without the 'you too' part, 你也是, can sometimes seem slightly dismissive in a social context.
Examples in context
- 周末愉快！Have a nice weekend!This example shows the use of 周末愉快.Tatoeba #2485698 by gleki, translation #325845 by CK
- 老板， 祝您周末愉快 。Boss, wishing you a pleasant weekend.
- 周末好 ，去哪儿玩啊？Have a nice weekend! Where are you going to have fun?
- 祝你周末愉快。Zhù nǐ zhōumò yúkuài.Wish you a pleasant weekend.
- 大家周末愉快！Dàjiā zhōumò yúkuài!Have a nice weekend, everyone!
Example conversation
Two colleagues are saying goodbye to each other at the office on a Friday afternoon.
- 佳怡 Jiayi浩然，周末愉快！Hàorán, zhōumò yúkuài!Haoran, have a nice weekend!
- 浩然 Haoran谢谢佳怡，也祝你周末愉快。Xièxiè Jiāyí, yě zhù nǐ zhōumò yúkuài.Thanks Jiayi, I wish you a pleasant weekend too.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我们要去郊游了。Wǒmen yào qù jiāoyóu le.We are going on an outing.
- 浩然 Haoran那祝你玩得开心。Nà zhù nǐ wán de kāixīn.Then I hope you have a fun time.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
