xīngqīrì: 星期日 - Sunday

• Keywords: Sunday in Chinese, xīngqīrì, 星期日, days of the week in Mandarin, how to say Sunday in Chinese, xīngqītiān, 礼拜天, 周日, Chinese calendar, learn Chinese days
• Summary: Learn how to say and write “Sunday” in Chinese with the term 星期日 (xīngqīrì). This page breaks down the characters, cultural context, and practical usage of this formal term for Sunday. Discover its more common spoken alternative, 星期天 (xīngqītiān), and understand why choosing the right word is key to sounding natural in Mandarin.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xīngqīrì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: Sunday; the day of the week between Saturday and Monday.
• In a Nutshell: 星期日 (xīngqīrì) is the formal and written word for “Sunday” in Mandarin Chinese. It's part of a logical system where “星期” (xīngqī) means “week” and the last character specifies the day. While perfectly correct, in everyday conversation, people almost always use the more casual 星期天 (xīngqītiān). Think of 星期日 as what you'd see on a calendar, in a news article, or on an official schedule.

• 星 (xīng): A pictograph of a star or stars. It represents a celestial body.
• 期 (qī): This character means a “period of time” or a “cycle.”
• 日 (rì): A pictograph of the sun. It means “sun” and, by extension, “day.”

When combined, 星期 (xīngqī) literally translates to “star period” or “star cycle.” This name comes from the ancient system of tracking a seven-day week based on the seven classical celestial bodies (the Sun, the Moon, and the five visible planets). Adding 日 (rì), the character for “sun,” makes 星期日 the “Sun's day” of the star cycle, perfectly mirroring the etymology of the English word “Sunday.”

The modern seven-day week is a relatively recent adoption in China, and its naming reflects a practical, systematic approach rather than a mythological one. Unlike Western languages that name days after Norse or Roman gods (e.g., Thursday for Thor, Saturday for Saturn), the Chinese system is mostly numerical. Monday is 星期一 (Week Day 1), Tuesday is 星期二 (Week Day 2), and so on. Sunday is the main exception to this numerical pattern. Instead of “星期七” (Week Day 7), it is called 星期日 (Sun Day) or 星期天 (Sky/Heaven Day). This highlights a parallel with the West's “Sunday.” While Sunday is a day of rest and leisure in modern China, part of the standard two-day weekend (周末, zhōumò), it doesn't carry the same traditional religious weight it does in Christian-majority cultures. For most Chinese people, it's a secular day for family gatherings, shopping, entertainment, or catching up on studies. It's simply the end of the weekend before the work week begins again on 星期一 (Monday).

Understanding when to use 星期日 versus its alternatives is key to sounding fluent.

• Formal & Written Contexts: 星期日 is the preferred term in writing. You will see it on:
  • Calendars and planners
  • Official documents and contracts
  • News reports (print and broadcast)
  • Formal invitations and schedules
  • Academic or business settings
• Spoken & Informal Contexts: In everyday conversation, 星期天 (xīngqītiān) is overwhelmingly more common. Using 星期日 when chatting with friends might sound a bit stiff or overly formal, like saying “the seventh day of the week” instead of “Sunday.”
• Other Variations:
  • 周日 (zhōurì): Meaning “Week Day/Sun,” this is another common written form, often used interchangeably with 星期日, especially in schedules and notices. It's slightly more concise.
  • 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān): Meaning “Worship Day,” this term originated with Christian missionaries. It's still commonly used in spoken language, particularly in Southern China and among Christian communities.

• Example 1:
  • 今天是星期日。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān shì xīngqīrì.
  • English: Today is Sunday.
  • Analysis: A simple, declarative sentence. In a written context like a diary entry, this is perfectly natural. A speaker would more likely say 今天是星期天 (Jīntiān shì xīngqītiān).
• Example 2:
  • 我们的商店星期日也正常营业。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de shāngdiàn xīngqīrì yě zhèngcháng yíngyè.
  • English: Our store is also open for business as usual on Sundays.
  • Analysis: This is a typical example of a formal, written notice you might see on a sign outside a shop.
• Example 3:
  • 会议定于下个星期日上午九点举行。
  • Pinyin: Huìyì dìng yú xià ge xīngqīrì shàngwǔ jiǔ diǎn jǔxíng.
  • English: The meeting is scheduled to be held at 9 a.m. next Sunday.
  • Analysis: The formality of a scheduled meeting makes 星期日 a suitable choice, especially in a written memo or email.
• Example 4:
  • 根据天气预报，这个星期日会下雨。
  • Pinyin: Gēnjù tiānqì yùbào, zhè ge xīngqīrì huì xiàyǔ.
  • English: According to the weather forecast, it will rain this Sunday.
  • Analysis: A weather report is a formal context where 星期日 is commonly used by the newscaster.
• Example 5:
  • 每个星期日，他都去图书馆看书。
  • Pinyin: Měi ge xīngqīrì, tā dōu qù túshūguǎn kànshū.
  • English: Every Sunday, he goes to the library to read.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a routine. While 星期天 would be more common in speech, 星期日 is perfectly fine in a written story or description.
• Example 6:
  • 我爸爸的生日正好是星期日。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bàba de shēngrì zhènghǎo shì xīngqīrì.
  • English: My dad's birthday happens to be on a Sunday.
  • Analysis: A neutral statement of fact. Either 星期日 or 星期天 could be used here, with 星期日 sounding slightly more matter-of-fact.
• Example 7:
  • 星期日的公园里总是挤满了人。
  • Pinyin: Xīngqīrì de gōngyuán lǐ zǒngshì jǐ mǎn le rén.
  • English: The park is always crowded with people on Sundays.
  • Analysis: This sentence could be from a descriptive essay or a news article, making 星期日 appropriate.
• Example 8:
  • 公司的团建活动安排在了星期日。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī de tuánjiàn huódòng ānpái zài le xīngqīrì.
  • English: The company's team-building event was scheduled for Sunday.
  • Analysis: Company announcements and official arrangements are formal contexts where 星期日 is the standard choice.
• Example 9:
  • 如果星期日你有空，我们一起去吃饭吧。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ xīngqīrì nǐ yǒu kòng, wǒmen yīqǐ qù chīfàn ba.
  • English: If you are free on Sunday, let's go eat together.
  • Analysis: In this spoken invitation, using 星期日 sounds a little stiff. A native speaker would almost certainly say 星期天 (xīngqītiān) here to be more casual and friendly.
• Example 10:
  • 这份报告必须在星期日之前完成。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàogào bìxū zài xīngqīrì zhīqián wánchéng.
  • English: This report must be completed before Sunday.
  • Analysis: A deadline, especially in a professional or academic setting, is a formal context. 星期日 is the correct term to use in an email or a work assignment.

• Mistake 1: Using 星期日 in casual conversation.
  • Incorrect: (Friend to friend) “这个星期日你干嘛？” (Zhè ge xīngqīrì nǐ gàn ma?)
  • Why it's awkward: It's grammatically correct, but it sounds overly formal and unnatural among friends.
  • Correction: Use the spoken form: “这个星期天你干嘛？” (Zhè ge xīngqītiān nǐ gàn ma?) or “这个周日你干嘛？” (Zhè ge zhōurì nǐ gàn ma?)
• Mistake 2: Confusing the numerical pattern.
  • Incorrect: “今天是星期七。” (Jīntiān shì xīngqī qī.)
  • Why it's wrong: While Monday to Saturday follow the pattern 星期 + number (一 to 六), Sunday breaks this rule. There is no “星期七” (Week Day 7).
  • Correction: You must use one of the specific words for Sunday: 星期日, 星期天, or 周日.
• Mistake 3: Believing 日 and 天 are always interchangeable.
  • While both can mean “day,” in this specific context, they signal different levels of formality. 日 (rì) is tied to written language and the “sun.” 天 (tiān) is tied to spoken language and the concept of “day” or “sky.” Using 日 in speech can make you sound like you're reading from a book.

• 星期天 (xīngqītiān): The most common spoken and informal term for Sunday. A direct synonym in meaning but different in formality.
• 周日 (zhōurì): Another common written term for Sunday, often used in schedules and notices. “周” (zhōu) is another word for “week.”
• 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān): Literally “worship day.” A common spoken term for Sunday, especially in southern China or by Christians.
• 周末 (zhōumò): The weekend. Literally “week's end,” it typically refers to Saturday and Sunday.
• 星期一 (xīngqīyī): Monday. Shows the start of the numerical naming system for the days of the week.
• 星期六 (xīngqīliù): Saturday. The other day of the weekend.
• 星期 (xīngqī): Week. The base word for all the days.
• 休息 (xiūxi): To rest. A common activity for a 星期日.
• 假日 (jiàrì): Holiday, day off. Sunday is a regular假日.
• 日历 (rìlì): Calendar. Where you are most likely to see 星期日 written.