n.
Sunday
星期天
Sunday
Sunday (星期 week + 天 sky/day); conversational, everyday term for the final day of the week.
Common Usage & Traps
- 星期天 — Sunday (everyday word)
- 上个星期天 — last Sunday
- 下个星期天 — next Sunday
- 星期天见 — see you Sunday
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我去星期天我星期天去English often puts time at the end. Chinese time words like 星期天 normally go before the verb.
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上个星期上个星期天星期 by itself means week. Add 天 when you mean Sunday.
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在星期天星期天You can say 在星期天, but in normal plans it sounds stiff. Bare 星期天 is the everyday choice.
Do you need 在 before 星期天?
No. Put 星期天 before the verb, with no 在.
English says on Sunday, so learners add 在 out of habit. Chinese time words like 星期天 usually go straight before the verb. 我星期天去 is the normal everyday pattern. 我在星期天去 is not wrong, but it sounds like you are stressing that exact Sunday. In a casual WeChat plan, drop 在 and keep the time before the verb.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Time before verb | 我星期天去 | 我去星期天 |
| Need 在? | 我星期天去 | 我在星期天去 |
What's the difference between 星期天 and 星期日?
星期天 is casual; 星期日 is formal.
Both mean Sunday, but they live in different rooms. 星期天 is the everyday word you use with friends, family, and coworkers. 星期日 sounds more formal, so it shows up in schedules, notices, and official writing. You will also hear 礼拜天 in casual northern speech, but keep it out of formal writing. For HSK 1, learn 星期天 first.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| WeChat plan | 星期天见 | 星期日见 |
| Official notice | 星期日 | 礼拜天 |
Why is it 上个星期天, not 上个星期?
上个星期天 means last Sunday; 上个星期 means last week.
星期 by itself means week, not Sunday. If you say 上个星期, you are talking about the whole previous week. Add 天 to point at one specific day, Sunday. That is why the story says 上个星期天 when the speaker remembers a past Sunday. Drop 天 and the meaning shifts from a day to a week.
“我：“上个星期天，你说你喜欢他们的那个桌子和那个电脑椅。” (I: 'Last Sunday, you said you liked their table and that computer chair.')
“我：“上个星期天，你说你喜欢他们的那个桌子和那个电脑椅。” (I: 'Last Sunday, you said you liked their table and that computer chair.')
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Last Sunday | 上个星期天 | 上个星期 |
| Last week | 上个星期 | 上个星期天 |
Appears in Stories 3 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Join a family on a sweltering Beijing Sunday as a boy learns a funny lesson about playing outside in the summer heat. Perfect for HSK 1 learners.
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今天是 星期天 。
This is a short dialogue about a shopping trip. A woman buys many things, including food, drinks, furniture, and pet food, while her boyfriend reminds her not to overspend.
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我：“上个 星期天 ，你说你喜欢他们的那个桌子和那个电脑椅。
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'!
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星期天 ，星期日，两个名字都可以。
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