n.
Sunday
星期日
Common Usage & Traps
- 星期日 — Sunday (formal or written)
- 星期天 — Sunday (casual or spoken)
- 这个星期日 — this Sunday
- 星期日早上 — Sunday morning
- 星期日见 — See you Sunday
- 星期日休息 — rest on Sunday
-
星期七星期日 / 星期天Monday to Saturday use numbers. Sunday uses 日 or 天, so 星期七 is never correct.
Why is Sunday called 星期日 or 星期天 instead of 星期七?
Chinese never says 星期七. Sunday is 星期日 or 星期天.
星期一 through 星期六 use numbers. Sunday breaks the number pattern. It uses 日, meaning sun, or 天, meaning day. So 星期七 sounds logical in English, but Chinese never uses it. Both 星期日 and 星期天 are correct for Sunday. “星期没有“星期七”， 还有一天星期日。” (There is no 'Sunday the seventh' in the week; there is also one day called Sunday.) ── [《星期七》](/read/days-of-the-week-rhyme#s5)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Counting days | 星期一 to 星期六, then 星期日 / 星期天 | 星期七 |
| Sunday in speech | 星期天 | 星期七 |
| Sunday in writing | 星期日 | 星期七 |
Do people actually say 星期日 in casual speech, or is 星期天 the default?
Say 星期天 in daily chat, 星期日 on forms and calendars.
Both 星期日 and 星期天 mean Sunday. 星期天 is the relaxed spoken choice in daily conversation. 星期日 sounds more formal and shows up on calendars, forms, and official notices. If you say 星期日 with friends, it is not wrong, just a bit stiff. If you say 星期天 on a government form, nobody will arrest you, but 星期日 looks more standard.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Casual chat | 星期天 | 星期日 (overly formal) |
| Calendar or form | 星期日 | 星期天 (too casual) |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Welcome! This short poem helps you practice the months, weekdays, and mealtimes in Chinese. Read it aloud and notice the rhythm. You already know many of these words!
-
星期日 和天，日日和爱人，超市买菜米，回家做饭忙。
Before you read, try clapping the rhythm. This poem introduces the days of the week and a fun secret: Chinese has two names for Sunday, but no 'Week Seven'!
-
星期没有“星期七”，还有一天 星期日 。
-
星期天， 星期日 ，两个名字都可以。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
No questions or discussions yet. Have a question about this character/word? Be the first to ask!