月日
yuè rì
The phrase "month and day" in Chinese is 月日 (yuè rì).
月日 is used to refer to the specific date of a calendar month and day. It is typically used in formal or written contexts to specify the month and day without including the year.
What does it mean word for word?
月日 is a compound of 月 (yuè), meaning month and 日 (rì), meaning day.
Which one should you use?
While 月日 refers to the concept of the month and day, in spoken Chinese, people more commonly use specific numbers, such as x月x号 (x yuè x hào), to state a date.
How do you pronounce it?
yuè rì
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese culture, the lunar calendar is still used to determine the 月日 for major festivals like the Lunar New Year. This means a single calendar year can contain two different dates for the same event.
- While 日 is used for 'day' in the written phrase 月日, speakers almost always switch to 号 (hào) when saying the date aloud. 号 originally referred to a 'number' or 'mark' rather than a day of the month.
- When writing 'month and day' in a formal setting, such as on a wedding invitation, the order of information follows a strict hierarchy from largest unit to smallest, starting with the year.
Examples in context
- 我的生日是十月十五日。My birthday is on October 15th.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Xiaowen are organizing a party.
- 志强 Zhiqiang晓雯，你决定好派对的月日了吗？Xiǎowén, nǐ juédìng hǎo pàiduì de yuèrì le ma?Xiaowen, have you decided on the month and day for the party?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我想定在十月十五日。Wǒ xiǎng dìng zài shíyuè shíwǔ rì.I want to set it for October 15th.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这个月日对我来说很方便。Zhège yuèrì duì wǒ láishuō hěn fāngbiàn.That month and day are very convenient for me.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen太好了，那我这就通知大家。Tài hǎole, nà wǒ zhè jiù tōngzhī dàjiā.Great, I will notify everyone right now.
