What Does Days of the Week Mean in Chinese? Easy Guide for Beginners

The term “days of the week” in Chinese primarily refers to 星期一 (xīngqī yī), which directly translates to “week one” (Monday), following a simple numerical pattern through 星期六 (xīngqī liù, “week six” for Saturday), with Sunday as 星期天 (xīngqī tiān, “week day”) or 星期日 (xīngqī rì, “week sun”). This logical system, built on counting from one to six plus two fixed Sunday forms, makes the seven days far easier for beginners, kids, and HSK 1 learners than English’s unique mythological names. Once you know Chinese numbers 1–6 and the three week words, you already command six of the seven days.

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What Are the 7 Days of the Week in Chinese?

Days of the week in Chinese (星期 xīngqī, 周 zhōu, or 礼拜 lǐbài + number) follow one core formula: a week word + the numbers 一 (yī, one) through 六 (liù, six) for Monday to Saturday. Sunday alone uses 日 (rì, sun/day) or 天 (tiān, day/sky) instead of 七 (qī, seven). Never say 星期七 — native speakers do not use it.

English Day	Chinese (汉字 + 拼音)	English Meaning / Literal
Monday	星期一 (xīngqī yī)	Week one
Tuesday	星期二 (xīngqī èr)	Week two
Wednesday	星期三 (xīngqī sān)	Week three
Thursday	星期四 (xīngqī sì)	Week four
Friday	星期五 (xīngqī wǔ)	Week five
Saturday	星期六 (xīngqī liù)	Week six
Sunday	星期天 / 星期日 (xīngqī tiān / xīngqī rì)	Week day / Week sun

The same pattern works with the shorter 周 (zhōu) form — 周一 (zhōu yī) for Monday through 周六 (zhōu liù) for Saturday and 周日 (zhōu rì) for Sunday — and the more colloquial 礼拜 (lǐbài) form used especially in southern China, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese communities: 礼拜一 (lǐbài yī) to 礼拜六 (lǐbài liù) and 礼拜天 (lǐbài tiān).

How Do the Three Week Systems Work in Chinese?

Days of the week in Chinese use three interchangeable week words that all mean “week”:

• 星期 (xīngqī, “star period”) is the neutral, textbook standard across mainland China for both speech and writing.
• 周 (zhōu, “cycle”) is shorter and preferred in calendars, news headlines, WeChat messages, and formal writing.
• 礼拜 (lǐbài, “ceremony-worship,” a missionary-era loan) remains common in casual southern speech, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia.

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Native speakers freely mix them in conversation (for example, “我周一到周五工作，礼拜六和礼拜天休息” — I work Monday to Friday and rest on Saturday and Sunday), but formal writing usually stays consistent with one system.

Why Does Sunday Break the Number Pattern in Chinese?

Sunday is the only day of the week in Chinese that does not use a number. 星期日 (xīngqī rì) is the formal, written form that literally means “week sun,” reflecting the astronomical origin of the seven-day week. 星期天 (xīngqī tiān) is the everyday spoken form meaning “week day.” Both are fully correct; choose 日 for calendars, news, and official documents and 天 for casual chat with friends or family. The week officially begins on Monday (星期一 / 周一), so Chinese calendars, school timetables, and office schedules place Monday in the leftmost column and Sunday last.

How to Use Days of the Week in Chinese Sentences

Time words such as days of the week in Chinese must appear either at the very beginning of the sentence or immediately after the subject and before the verb. This “biggest-to-smallest” time order is fixed and differs from the flexible placement of English time expressions.

• Time + Subject + Verb + Object: 星期一我去学校。(Xīngqī yī wǒ qù xuéxiào.) = On Monday I go to school.
• Subject + Time + Verb + Object: 我星期一去学校。(Wǒ xīngqī yī qù xuéxiào.) = I go to school on Monday.

Common Phrases with Days of the Week in Chinese

These high-frequency expressions let beginners talk about schedules immediately:

• 今天星期几？ (Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?) = What day is it today?
• 这个星期 / 这周 (zhège xīngqī / zhè zhōu) = this week
• 上个星期 / 上周 (shàngge xīngqī / shàng zhōu) = last week
• 下个星期 / 下周 (xiàge xīngqī / xià zhōu) = next week
• 周末 (zhōumò) = weekend
• 工作日 (gōngzuò rì) = weekday / workday

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Example: 你周末有空一起吃饭吗？ (Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng yīqǐ chīfàn ma?) = Are you free to eat together this weekend?

Cultural Notes: Traditional Xun and Modern Workweek

Traditional Chinese timekeeping used a 10-day cycle called 旬 (xún). Each lunar month divides into 上旬 (shàng xún, first 10 days), 中旬 (zhōng xún, middle 10 days), and 下旬 (xià xún, final 10 days). The term still appears in news and business announcements. Modern China observes a Monday–Friday workweek (officially five days since 1995), with Saturday and Sunday as the weekend, though some sectors historically followed longer schedules. Want to learn more? Explore Chinese traditions with Wukong Education.

FAQ About Days of the Week in Chinese

Does “星期七” mean Sunday?

No. Native speakers never say 星期七. Sunday is always 星期天 (xīngqī tiān) or 星期日 (xīngqī rì).

Is the Chinese week the same as the Western week?

Yes for the seven days, no for the starting day. Monday is day one (星期一) and the official start of the week on Chinese calendars; Sunday is the last day.

Can I mix 星期, 周, and 礼拜?

Yes in casual speech. Mixing is natural in conversation, but formal writing usually stays with one system.

What is the most common way to ask the day?

今天星期几？ (Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?). This is the everyday phrase used across mainland China.

Related Terms and Next Steps

Once days of the week in Chinese are solid, expand to related time vocabulary: months (一月 yī yuè to 十二月 shí’èr yuè), years, and clock time (几点 jǐ diǎn). These form the complete date-and-time toolkit for daily conversation.

Topic	What You Will Learn	Dive Deeper
Months in Chinese Guide	Full guide to 1-12 month names, correct pronunciation, standard Chinese date format, lunar calendar culture, and common mistakes to avoid	Months in Chinese
Years in Chinese Guide	Rules for reading and writing years in Chinese, Gregorian and lunar year expressions, Chinese zodiac & year culture, and common usage pitfalls	Years in Chinese
Time in Chinese Guide	Standard expressions for hours, minutes and seconds, how to say o’clock and half past, and daily conversational usage for making appointments by time	Time in Chinese