Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 星期 | xīngqī | /ɕiŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Mainland China, Sinological IPA) /ɕiŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Taiwan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 週 / 周 | zhōu | ||
| 禮拜 / 礼拜 | lé-pài | Hokkien |
The term 星期 is the standard way to refer to a period of seven days. When specifying a particular day of the week, add the specific day immediately after 星期. To count the number of weeks, use the measure word 个, such as 一个星期 for 'one week'.
What does it mean word for word?
星期 is composed of 星 (star) and 期 (period/cycle), literally meaning 'star period'.
Which one should you use?
While 星期 is the most common term, 周 is often used in more formal or written contexts, such as in the phrases 本周 (this week) or 下周 (next week).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
礼拜 is a more colloquial and informal way to say 'week'. 周 is the more formal option.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The forms щинчи and чи are used in Dungan, and 禮拜 / 礼拜 (pronounced lé-pài) is used in Hokkien.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask 'which day of the week', use the structure 星期 followed by 几 (jǐ), forming the phrase 星期几.
How do you pronounce it?
xīngqī (/ɕiŋ⁵⁵ tɕʰi⁵⁵/)
Did you know?
- While 星期 is the standard term, the one-character 周 refers to a cycle. In ancient China, this referred to a ten-day cycle rather than the modern seven-day week.
- The term 礼拜 literally means 'worship' or 'bowing in prayer'. It was introduced to the Chinese language by Christian missionaries to translate the concept of the 'Sabbath'.
- Unlike English, which uses unique names like 'Monday' or 'Tuesday', Mandarin names the days of the week simply by adding the numbers one through six after 星期.
Examples in context
- 昨天星期幾？Yesterday was what day of the week?This sentence is useful for asking which day of the week a specific day was.Tatoeba #5390925 by xjjAstrus, translation #5573371 by n1ls
- 大约下一星期的雨。It's been raining for around a week.This sentence shows how to express a duration of approximately one week.Tatoeba #9953211 by GlossaMatik, translation #33150 by orcrist
- 我上星期在这里玩。I played here last week.This sentence demonstrates how to refer to 'last week'.Tatoeba #9972489 by GlossaMatik, translation #3818647 by CK
- Wǒ xīngqī yī dào xīngqīwǔ shàngbān (我星期一到星期五上班)I work from Monday to Friday
- Wǒ xià zhōu yǒu yīgè huìyì (我下周有一个会议)I have a meeting next week
- xīngqīyī (星期一)Monday
- xià/ge xīngqīyī (下 / 个星期一)Next Monday
- Wǒ ài zài zhōumò xiūxi (我爱在周末休息)I love relaxing on the weekends
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jiaqi and Zhiqiang are talking about their weekend plans.
- 佳怡 Jiayi这个星期你有空吗？Zhège xīngqī nǐ yǒu kòng ma?Are you free this week?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我这星期很忙。Wǒ zhè xīngqī hěn máng.I am very busy this week.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那下个星期呢？Nà xià gè xīngqī ne?How about next week?
- 志强 Zhiqiang下个星期可以。Xià gè xīngqī kěyǐ.Next week is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “week” translations and entries 星期, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
