週末 / 周末
zau¹ mut⁶
The English word 'weekend' can be said in Cantonese as 週末 / 周末 (zau¹ mut⁶). If unsure, use 週末 / 周末. Wiktionary also lists 禮拜尾 / 礼拜尾 (lai⁵ baai³ mei⁵).
Meaning: break in the working week (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 週末 / 周末 | zau¹ mut⁶ |
| 禮拜尾 / 礼拜尾 | lai⁵ baai³ mei⁵ |
The term refers to the break in the working week.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 週末 / 周末 consists of 周 (week) and 末 (end).
How do you pronounce it?
zau¹ mut⁶
Did you know?
- The word 禮拜 (week) used in 禮拜尾 actually has its roots in religious traditions, as '禮拜' originally referred to 'worship' or 'prayer' in a Christian context.
- The word 尾 in 禮拜尾 literally translates to 'tail', making the weekend 'the tail of the week'.
- While 週末 is a formal term used in writing, many Cantonese speakers in daily conversation prefer to use 禮拜尾, which literally means 'the tail of the week'.
Examples in context
- 呢個禮拜我星期六日都有時間返屋企This week, I have time to go home on the weekend.
- 週末有冇乜嘢計劃？Do you have any plans for the weekend?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “weekend” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
