Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 星期一 | xīngqīyī |
| 禮拜一 / 礼拜一 | lǐbàiyī |
| 周一 | zhōuyī |
All three terms are used to refer to the day of the week known as Monday. 星期一 and 周一 are used widely across mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, while 礼拜一 (also written as 禮拜一) is widely acceptable in informal settings.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 星期一 (xīngqīyī) is composed of 星期 (week) and 一 (one), literally meaning 'week one'. The term 礼拜一 (lǐbàiyī) is composed of 礼拜 (worship/service) and 一 (one), literally meaning 'worship one'.
Which one should you use?
星期一 and 周一 are the standard and more formal ways to say Monday, whereas 礼拜一 is more colloquial.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, the term 星期一 is more frequently used compared to 礼拜一.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say any other day of the week, replace the 一 (yī) at the end of 星期一 with the corresponding number (二, 三, 四, etc.).
How do you pronounce it?
xīngqīyī
Did you know?
- Historically, the concept of a seven-day week was not native to China and was introduced via the lunar calendar and foreign influences. Before this, China primarily used a ten-day cycle called 旬 (xún).
- The concept of a 'week' in the term 星期 (xīngqī) is linguistically tied to the idea of a 'star period' or 'celestial cycle'.
- While Monday is 'one' in Chinese, Sunday cannot be called 星期日 or 礼拜日 in casual conversation. Instead, people use 星期天 or 礼拜天, replacing the number with the word for 'sky' or 'heaven'.
Examples in context
- 周一可以吗？Is Monday OK?This sentence is useful for checking availability using 周一.Tatoeba #8765060 by crescat, translation #2248475 by CK
- 已经周一了？Is it already Monday?This sentence is useful for asking if it is already 周一.Tatoeba #9968954 by GlossaMatik, translation #8833981 by CK
- 周一让人焦虑。Monday makes people anxious.This sentence is useful for describing how 周一 affects people.Tatoeba #10041173 by GlossaMatik, translation #10191353 by pan176
- 我们的会议将在星期一举行。Our meeting will take place on Monday.
- 我的课程每个礼拜一都要交报告。I have to submit reports every Monday for my course.
- 明天是周一，你有什么计划吗？Tomorrow is Monday, do you have any plans?
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Yuting are discussing their meeting schedule.
- 伟 Wei我们星期一见面吧。Wǒmen xīngqīyī jiànmiàn ba.Let's meet on Monday.
- 雨婷 Yuting星期一我没时间。Xīngqīyī wǒ méi shíjiān.I don't have time on Monday.
- 伟 Wei那星期二可以吗？Nà xīngqī'èr kěyǐ ma?Then is Tuesday okay?
- 雨婷 Yuting好的，星期二没问题。Hǎo de, xīngqī'èr méi wèntí.Okay, Tuesday is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Monday” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
