dāngrì: 当日 - That Same Day, On the Day in Question

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• Summary: 当日 (dāngrì) is a formal Chinese term meaning “on that same day” or “on the day in question.” It is primarily used in written Chinese or formal speech to refer to a specific, previously mentioned date with precision. Unlike the casual 那天 (nà tiān), 当日 is common in news reports, legal documents, historical accounts, and modern services like “same-day delivery” (当日达), making it a key vocabulary word for intermediate learners aiming for higher proficiency.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dāngrì
• Part of Speech: Time Noun / Adverb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: On that specific day; the same day.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 当日 (dāngrì) as a more formal and precise version of “that day.” It's used when the specific date is important and has already been established. You wouldn't use it to casually say, “Remember that day we went to the beach?” Instead, you'd find it in a news report stating, “The fire broke out on the 5th. Firefighters extinguished the blaze on that same day (当日).” It emphasizes that an action was completed within the 24-hour period of that specific day.

• 当 (dāng): This character's core meaning is “at,” “during,” or “in a certain time or place.” It acts as a marker to specify a point in time or a condition.
• 日 (rì): This character simply means “day,” “date,” or “sun.”

The two characters combine literally to mean “at that day.” The character 当 (dāng) pinpoints the action to the specific 日 (rì) being discussed, creating the precise meaning of “on that very day.”

The use of 当日 reflects the value of precision and formality in certain domains of Chinese communication. While daily conversation thrives on context and informality, areas like law, history, business, and journalism demand clarity and the removal of ambiguity.

• Comparison to Western Concepts: The use of 当日 is very similar to formal English phrases like “on said date,” “on the day in question,” or “on that very day.” You would never hear an American friend say, “On said date, we had pizza for dinner.” However, you would absolutely expect to see that phrasing in a legal contract or a police report. In the same way, 当日 elevates the register of the conversation from casual to formal, signaling that the specific timing of the event is of official or historical importance. It is a marker of formal, factual, and objective language.

当日 is frequently encountered in written and formal contexts. It's less common in casual chats.

• News, Legal, and Historical Texts: This is the most common environment for 当日. It's used to establish a clear timeline of events.
  • Example: A contract might state that payment is due on a certain date and a receipt will be issued 当日 (on the same day).
• Modern Services and Commerce: The term has found a very practical and common use in the world of e-commerce and services.
  • 当日达 (dāngrì dá): Same-day delivery. A very common term on shopping apps like Taobao or JD.com.
  • 当日有效 (dāngrì yǒuxiào): Valid only on the day of purchase/issue. You will see this on tickets for parks, museums, or special promotions.
• Formality Level: High. Using it in a casual conversation about your weekend plans would sound strange and overly stiff. For that, you would use 那天 (nà tiān) or the slightly less formal 当天 (dàngtiān).

• Example 1:
  • 这张门票仅限当日有效。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhāng ménpiào jǐn xiàn dāngrì yǒuxiào.
  • English: This ticket is only valid for use on the day of issue.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence you'll see on tickets or vouchers. It clearly states the rule using formal, concise language.
• Example 2:
  • 我们在网上订的包裹，没想到当日就送到了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen zài wǎngshàng dìng de bāoguǒ, méi xiǎngdào dāngrì jiù sòngdào le.
  • English: The package we ordered online unexpectedly arrived on the same day.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how the concept of “same-day” (当日) is used in the context of modern e-commerce and logistics. Here it functions as an adverb of time.
• Example 3:
  • 根据新闻报道，嫌疑人是在作案当日被捕的。
  • Pinyin: Gēnjù xīnwén bàodào, xiányírén shì zài zuò'àn dāngrì bèibǔ de.
  • English: According to the news report, the suspect was arrested on the same day the crime was committed.
  • Analysis: A classic example of 当日 used in a formal, journalistic context to report facts with precision.
• Example 4:
  • 合同规定，乙方必须在签约当日支付首付款。
  • Pinyin: Hétong guīdìng, Yǐfāng bìxū zài qiānyuē dāngrì zhīfù shǒufùkuǎn.
  • English: The contract stipulates that Party B must pay the down payment on the day of signing.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the use of 当日 in a legal or business context, where ambiguity about dates is unacceptable.
• Example 5:
  • 那是一个历史性的时刻，当日的报纸都用头版报道了这件事。
  • Pinyin: Nà shì yí ge lìshǐxìng de shíkè, dāngrì de bàozhǐ dōu yòng tóubǎn bàodào le zhè jiàn shì.
  • English: It was a historic moment; the newspapers of that day all reported it on the front page.
  • Analysis: Here, 当日 refers to a specific, important day in the past. It lends a sense of historical weight to the sentence.
• Example 6:
  • 这位病人接受了一个小手术，当日就出院了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi bìngrén jiēshòu le yí ge xiǎo shǒushù, dāngrì jiù chūyuàn le.
  • English: This patient underwent a minor surgery and was discharged on the same day.
  • Analysis: Used in a medical context to describe an outpatient procedure. It emphasizes the short duration of the hospital stay.
• Example 7:
  • 我记得我们是五月十号见面的，我当日就觉得你很特别。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jìde wǒmen shì wǔ yuè shí hào jiànmiàn de, wǒ dāngrì jiù juéde nǐ hěn tèbié.
  • English: I remember we met on May 10th, and on that very day, I felt you were very special.
  • Analysis: While less common in speech, using 当日 in a personal narrative like this adds a touch of formality and romantic emphasis, as if recounting a very important, fateful day.
• Example 8:
  • 所有退货申请必须在收到商品当日提出。
  • Pinyin: Suǒyǒu tuìhuò shēnqǐng bìxū zài shōudào shāngpǐn dāngrì tíchū.
  • English: All return requests must be submitted on the same day the goods are received.
  • Analysis: This is typical language for a company's return policy, specifying a strict deadline.
• Example 9:
  • 我们的城市提供当日达的快递服务。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de chéngshì tígōng dāngrì dá de kuàidì fúwù.
  • English: Our city offers same-day delivery courier services.
  • Analysis: This shows the compound word 当日达 (same-day delivery) in action, a very useful term for anyone living in China.
• Example 10:
  • 会议于周一上午召开，相关决议当日下午即已公布。
  • Pinyin: Huìyì yú Zhōuyī shàngwǔ zhàokāi, xiāngguān juéyì dāngrì xiàwǔ jí yǐ gōngbù.
  • English: The meeting was held on Monday morning, and the relevant resolutions were announced that same afternoon.
  • Analysis: This shows how 当日 specifies that an action happened within the same calendar day as a previously mentioned event, highlighting efficiency.

• 当日 (dāngrì) vs. 今天 (jīntiān): This is the most common mistake for beginners. 当日 does not mean “today.” It means “on that specific day” we are talking about.
  • Incorrect: 我当日很忙。 (Wǒ dāngrì hěn máng.)
  • Correct: 我今天很忙。 (Wǒ jīntiān hěn máng.) - I am busy today.
  • Correct: 他上周三来了，我当日很忙，没能见他。(Tā shàng zhōusān lái le, wǒ dāngrì hěn máng, méi néng jiàn tā.) - He came last Wednesday; I was busy on that day and couldn't see him.
• 当日 (dāngrì) vs. 那天 (nà tiān): These two can both be translated as “that day,” but their formality is completely different. 当日 is formal and written; 那天 is informal and spoken.
  • Casual (Correct): 记得我们去公园的那天吗？(Jìde wǒmen qù gōngyuán de nà tiān ma?) - Remember that day we went to the park?
  • Overly Formal (Awkward): 记得我们去公园的当日吗？(Jìde wǒmen qù gōngyuán de dāngrì ma?) - This sounds like you're writing a legal affidavit about your trip to the park.
• 当日 (dāngrì) vs. 当天 (dàngtiān): This is a finer point. These two are very close synonyms and often interchangeable. However, 当天 (dàngtiān) is slightly more common in both modern spoken and written Chinese, especially for “same-day” contexts (like a same-day round trip: 当天往返). 当日 can feel a bit more literary, historical, or legal. When in doubt, 当天 is often a safe choice, but knowing 当日 is crucial for understanding formal documents.

• 当天 (dàngtiān) - A very close synonym for “that same day,” slightly more common in modern usage than 当日.
• 那天 (nà tiān) - The informal, conversational equivalent of 当日, meaning “that day.”
• 次日 (cìrì) - A formal term for “the next day.” It's the logical follow-up to 当日 in a formal timeline.
• 即日 (jírì) - “This very day; effective immediately.” Used in formal announcements, e.g., “This policy takes effect immediately (即日起).”
• 往日 (wǎngrì) - “Former days; the past.” A general term for a time gone by, not a specific day.
• 昔日 (xīrì) - “In former days; in olden times.” A more literary and nostalgic term for “the past” than 往日.
• 当日达 (dāngrì dá) - A set phrase meaning “same-day delivery.”
• 当日有效 (dāngrì yǒuxiào) - A set phrase meaning “valid on the day of issue only.”
• 今日 (jīnrì) - A formal, written equivalent of “today” (今天). You might see it in newspaper headlines.