Days of the week in Chinese: A comprehensive learning guide

Learning the days of the week is one of the first fun steps when picking up a new language. In Chinese, the system follows a wonderfully simple numerical pattern that you’ll find surprisingly easy to remember once you see how it works.

Whether you’re planning a trip to China, starting conversations with Chinese friends, or just building your language skills, knowing how to say the days of the week will come in handy right away in your everyday Chinese practice.

Days of the week in Chinese: full list with pronunciation

The Chinese week follows a clever and straightforward pattern based on numbers. Unlike English where each day has its own unique name, Chinese uses a base word for “week” followed by a number for most days. The good news? The tones for each number stay exactly the same as when you count, making them easier to learn.

Here’s your go-to list of days in Chinese with their pronunciations:

• 星期一 (xīngqī yī): Monday

• 星期二 (xīngqī èr): Tuesday

• 星期三 (xīngqī sān): Wednesday

• 星期四 (xīngqī sì): Thursday

• 星期五 (xīngqī wǔ): Friday

• 星期六 (xīngqī liù): Saturday

• 星期天 (xīngqī tiān) or 星期日 (xīngqī rì): Sunday

The pattern couldn’t be simpler – 星期 (xīngqī) means “week,” and you just add the numbers one through six for Monday through Saturday. Sunday breaks the pattern slightly, using either 天 (tiān) meaning “day” or 日 (rì) meaning “sun/day” instead of a number.

Three ways to say “week” in Mandarin

Did you know Chinese has not just one but three different ways to say “week”? Each has its own flavor and appears in different situations. Let’s look at when you might use each one!

1. 星期 system

The 星期 (xīngqī) system is what you’ll learn first in most Chinese classes. It’s your go-to choice for everyday conversations, classroom settings, and general use throughout mainland China.

“我星期三有考试。” (Wǒ xīngqī sān yǒu kǎoshì.) – “I have an exam on Wednesday.” “你星期天有空吗？” (Nǐ xīngqī tiān yǒu kòng ma?) – “Are you free on Sunday?”

2. 周 system

The 周 (zhōu) system shines in formal and written contexts. It’s shorter and snappier, making it perfect for calendars, business emails, and professional settings. You’ll spot it often in schedules and agendas.

会议安排 (Huìyì ānpái) – Meeting Schedule:

• 周一 (zhōu yī): 市场部会议 (Marketing department meeting)

• 周三 (zhōu sān): 客户洽谈 (Client negotiations)

• 周五 (zhōu wǔ): 季度总结 (Quarterly summary)

3. 礼拜 system

The 礼拜 (lǐbài) system brings a friendly, casual tone to your Chinese. It’s especially popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and southern China. Use this when chatting with friends for a more relaxed feel.

“我礼拜六要去看电影。” (Wǒ lǐbài liù yào qù kàn diànyǐng.) – “I’m going to see a movie on Saturday.”

Start with 星期 for your classes and basic conversations, switch to 周 for formal writing, and listen for 礼拜 when making friends in Taiwan or southern China.

Remember Sunday’s special rule

Sunday breaks the neat numerical pattern with a special twist that makes perfect sense once you know it. Instead of using a number, Chinese uses either 天 (tiān) meaning “day” or 日 (rì) meaning “sun/day” for this final day of the week.

Here’s how Sunday appears across all three systems:

• 星期天 (xīngqī tiān) or 星期日 (xīngqī rì): The standard forms

• 周日 (zhōu rì): The formal, written form (note that 周天 is uncommon)

• 礼拜天 (lǐbài tiān): The casual, conversational form (popular in Taiwan)

Watch out! Never say “星期七” (xīngqī qī) for Sunday. This is a classic beginner mistake that Chinese speakers never make. The week doesn’t count to seven in Chinese – Sunday gets its own special treatment.

Think of it this way: Sunday isn’t the seventh day in Chinese – it’s the day of the sun or simply “day” itself!

Use weekdays in real sentences

Now that you know how to say the days in Chinese, let’s put them to work in real conversations! These practical phrases will help you schedule meetups, talk about your plans, and sound more natural when chatting with Chinese speakers.

Ask or confirm meeting times

When making plans, these simple phrases will come in handy:

• “我们星期四见面，好吗？” (Wǒmen xīngqī sì jiànmiàn, hǎo ma?): Can we meet on Thursday?

• “你周二有空吗？” (Nǐ zhōu èr yǒu kòng ma?): Are you free on Tuesday?

• “会议定在星期一上午十点。” (Huìyì dìng zài xīngqī yī shàngwǔ shí diǎn.): The meeting is set for Monday at 10 AM.

• “礼拜五晚上我们去吃饭吧。” (Lǐbài wǔ wǎnshàng wǒmen qù chīfàn ba.): Let’s go eat dinner on Friday evening.

Refer to last, this, next week

Make your Chinese more precise by adding these time references:

• “上星期” (shàng xīngqī): Last week

• “这星期” (zhè xīngqī): This week

• “下星期” (xià xīngqī): Next week

Mix them with weekdays for natural-sounding phrases:

• “上星期三我很忙。” (Shàng xīngqī sān wǒ hěn máng.): I was busy last Wednesday.

• “这周末你有什么计划？” (Zhè zhōumò nǐ yǒu shénme jìhuà?): What plans do you have this weekend?

• “下礼拜一我要去北京。” (Xià lǐbài yī wǒ yào qù Běijīng.): I’m going to Beijing next Monday.

Combine weekday + date for clarity

For crystal-clear communication, especially in work settings:

• “我们8月15日，星期四开会。” (Wǒmen bā yuè shíwǔ rì, xīngqī sì kāihuì.): We’ll have a meeting on Thursday, August 15.

• “周二，8月13日是截止日期。” (Zhōu èr, bā yuè shísān rì shì jiézhǐ rìqí.): Tuesday, August 13 is the deadline.

• “请星期五（8月16日）之前回复邮件。” (Qǐng xīngqī wǔ (bā yuè shíliù rì) zhīqián huífù yóujiàn.): Please reply to the email before Friday (August 16).

The more you use these phrases in conversations, the more naturally they’ll flow when you’re speaking Chinese!

Common mistakes with Chinese weekdays

Let’s tackle some tricky spots that can trip up even enthusiastic Chinese learners! Knowing these common pitfalls will help you sound more confident and natural when chatting about your weekly schedule.

1. Mis-toning “四” and “二”

Those pesky tones can be sneaky, especially with these two numbers:

• 四 (sì): Watch out for using the wrong tone on Thursday (星期四) – it needs that sharp falling fourth tone

• 二 (èr): Tuesday (星期二) requires the rising second tone, not the falling one

A quick tone check makes all the difference! Try saying “星期四” and “星期二” out loud a few times to get the muscle memory working.

2. Swapping 星期六 and 星期日

Weekend mix-ups happen more often than you’d think:

• 星期六 (xīngqī liù): This is Saturday (day six), not Sunday

• 星期日/星期天 (xīngqī rì/tiān): Sunday gets special treatment with 日 or 天

Think of it this way – the Chinese week counts up logically from Monday (one) through Saturday (six), then Sunday gets its own special name!

3. Dropping 周 in formal writing

In business contexts, keep that 周 prefix:

• Yes: 周一 (zhōu yī) looks professional in your work email

• No: Just writing 一 (yī) alone won’t tell anyone you mean Monday

The 周 isn’t optional in formal writing – it’s what transforms a simple number into a proper weekday.

A quick self-check on these points will make your Chinese weekday usage sound so much more natural. Small tweaks, big difference in how smoothly you communicate!

Practice weekdays with exercises

Let’s test your Chinese weekday knowledge with some fun exercises! Grab a pen and jot down your answers – this active practice will help you remember these words much better than just reading them.

Fill-in-the-blank drill

Complete each sentence with the right Chinese weekday:

1. Today is Monday, August 12. In Chinese, we say today is _________.

2. The business meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. We’ll write this in our formal calendar as _________.

3. “I’m going shopping on Sunday.” Using the Taiwan-preferred system, this would be: “我________去购物。”

4. The fifth day of the work week is _________.

5. If yesterday was 星期三, then tomorrow will be _________.

Multiple choice tone quiz

Pick the correct tone pattern for each weekday:

1. 星期四 (Thursday)

a) xīngqī sì

b) xīngqī sí

c) xīngqī sǐ

d) xīngqī si

2. 星期日 (Sunday)

a) xīngqī rì

b) xīngqī rí

c) xīngqī rǐ

d) xīngqī ri

3. 礼拜二 (Tuesday)

a) lǐbài èr

b) lǐbài ér

c) lǐbài ěr

d) lǐbài er

4. 周六 (Saturday)

a) zhōu liù

b) zhōu liú

c) zhōu liǔ

d) zhōu liu

5. 星期一 (Monday)

a) xīngqī yī

b) xīngqī yí

c) xīngqī yǐ

d) xīngqī yi

Try these exercises before peeking at the answers! The more you practice saying these words out loud, the more naturally they’ll flow in your next Chinese conversation.

Level up your Mandarin with Preply

Congratulations on mastering the days of the week in Chinese! You’ve now got a practical tool that you’ll use in almost every conversation. The numerical pattern makes these words surprisingly easy to remember, doesn’t it?

While apps and books can teach you vocabulary, nothing beats real conversation practice for getting those tones just right. Our online Chinese tutors can help you nail those tricky pronunciations. They’ll catch small mistakes before they become habits and give you authentic speaking practice that builds real confidence.

At Preply, we’ve seen how personalized feedback transforms learning. A tutor who focuses on your specific goals – whether that’s ordering food in Beijing or discussing business in Shanghai – helps you progress much faster than studying alone.

Ready to speak with more confidence? Find a tutor today and start practicing those weekday words in real conversations! With consistent practice and the right guidance, you’ll be chatting about your weekly schedule in natural-sounding Mandarin before you know it.

Answers to Chinese weekday exercises

Let’s check your answers and see how you did with the days of the week in Chinese!

Fill-in-the-blank answers

1. 星期一 (xīngqī yī): Perfect! Since today is Monday, August 12, you’d use “week day one” in Chinese.

2. 周三 (zhōu sān): Spot on! Business meetings call for the shorter 周 system, especially in written form.

3. 礼拜天 (lǐbài tiān): Great job! This is exactly how you’d say Sunday in Taiwan using the casual 礼拜 system.

4. 星期五 (xīngqī wǔ): Correct! Friday is the fifth workday, using number five (五) after the word for week.

5. 星期四 (xīngqī sì): Well done! If yesterday was Wednesday, tomorrow would naturally be Thursday in the sequence.

Multiple choice answers

1. a) xīngqī sì: Yes! For Thursday, that sharp falling fourth tone makes all the difference.

2. a) xīngqī rì: Correct! Sunday needs that distinctive falling fourth tone for rì.

3. a) lǐbài èr: You got it! For Tuesday, your voice should rise at the end with the second tone.

4. a) zhōu liù: Perfect! Saturday’s liù needs that dipping-then-rising third tone.

5. a) xīngqī yī: Right! Monday’s yī keeps that high, level first tone throughout.

Practicing these tones daily will help them become second nature in no time!

FAQs about days of the week in Chinese

Can I mix different “week” systems in one sentence?

Yes! Native speakers often switch between systems naturally. You might hear “我周一到周五工作，礼拜六和礼拜天休息” / “Wǒ zhōu yī dào zhōu wǔ gōngzuò, lǐbài liù hé lǐbài tiān xiūxi “(I work Monday to Friday and rest on Saturday and Sunday). In casual chats, this mixing sounds completely natural, though for formal emails or writing, it’s better to stick with one system throughout.

Which weekday is considered the first day of the week in China?

Monday (星期一 / Xīngqī yī ) takes the first position on Chinese calendars! This matches perfectly with the numerical system where Monday is literally “day one.” Look at any Chinese planner or calendar app, and you’ll see Monday proudly sitting in the leftmost position – quite different from some Western calendars that put Sunday first.

Is there a word for “weekend” in Chinese?

Absolutely! It’s 周末 (zhōumò) – combining 周 (week) with 末 (end). This handy word works with any weekday system you’re using. Try asking a friend: “你周末有什么计划?” / “Nǐ zhōumò yǒu shénme jìhuà?” (What are your weekend plans?) It’s a great conversation starter that you’ll use again and again.

Are there any special cultural associations with certain days of the week?

While traditional Chinese culture doesn’t assign special meaning to particular weekdays, modern China has adopted some familiar patterns! Friday excitement definitely exists in Chinese cities, with “Finally Friday!” sentiments shared among office workers. Some restaurants now offer “Monday specials” or “Wednesday discounts” – though these are newer urban practices rather than ancient traditions.