Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 星期四 | sing¹ kei⁴ sei³ |
| 禮拜四 / 礼拜四 | lai⁵ baai³ sei³ |
| 周四 | zau¹ sei³ |
The phrase is used to refer to the fourth day of the week.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 星期四 literally translates to 'week four', where 星期 means 'week' and 四 means 'four'. The term 禮拜四 literally translates to 'worship four', where 禮拜 means 'worship' or 'service' and 四 means 'four'.
Which one should you use?
星期四 is the standard term used in news and formal contexts, whereas 禮拜四 is more colloquial and common in daily speech. 周四 is a more formal or written-style term often used in news headlines or formal schedules.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
星期四 is the standard form for formal contexts and news. 禮拜四 is used in colloquial, daily speech. 周四 is a formal or written-style term used for things like news headlines or formal schedules.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'on Thursday', you do not need a preposition like 'on'. You can simply use the noun 星期四 directly in the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
sing¹ kei⁴ sei³
Did you know?
- The word 四 (four) in many Chinese cultures is considered unlucky because it sounds like the word for 'death', making the pronunciation of 星期四 something to be mindful of in certain superstitious contexts.
- The term 禮拜 used in 禮拜四 literally means 'worship'. This reflects the historical influence of Christian missionaries introducing the seven-day week to China.
- Even though 'Thursday' is the fourth day, the Cantonese word for 'week' in 星期四 is 星期, which actually derives from the concept of a 'star period' or 'celestial cycle'.
Examples in context
- 今年情人節係星期四。This year, Valentine's Day falls on a Thursday.This sentence is useful for showing how to use 星期四 to state when a holiday falls.Tatoeba #5733449 by nickyeow, translation #2220985 by Hybrid
- 我星期四去睇戲。ngo5 sing1 kei4 sei3 heoi3 tai2 hei3.I am going to see a movie on Thursday.
Example conversation
Two friends are planning a dinner date.
- 志強 Chi Keung美玲，星期四出嚟食飯好冇？mei ling, sing kai sei ceot loi sik fan hou mouMei Ling, do you want to go out for dinner on Thursday?
- 美玲 Mei Ling星期四我好忙，星期五得唔得？sing kai sei ngo hou mong, sing kai ng dak m dakI am very busy on Thursday, is Friday okay?
- 志強 Chi Keung星期五都好，咁到時見。sing kai ng dou hou, gam dou si ginFriday is also good, see you then.
- 美玲 Mei Ling好，到時見！hou, dou si ginOkay, see you then!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “Thursday” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
