jiézhǐ rìqī: 截止日期 - Deadline, Due Date, Cut-off Date

• Keywords: deadline in Chinese, due date in Mandarin, how to say deadline in Chinese, 截止日期, jiezhiriqi, Chinese for due date, HSK 4 vocabulary, business Chinese, application deadline, project deadline.
• Summary: Learn how to say “deadline” or “due date” in Chinese with the essential HSK 4 term 截止日期 (jiézhǐ rìqī). This guide provides a deep dive into its meaning, character breakdown, cultural context, and practical usage in modern China. With over 10 example sentences, you'll master how to use 截止日期 for everything from homework assignments and job applications to project management in a business setting.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiézhǐ rìqī
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: 4
• Concise Definition: A fixed date or time by which a particular task must be completed; a deadline or due date.
• In a Nutshell: 截止日期 (jiézhǐ rìqī) is the direct and standard word for “deadline” in Mandarin Chinese. It's a formal but very common term used in any situation that involves a cut-off point, whether it's for school, work, or official paperwork. Think of it as the non-negotiable “stop date” for any task.

• 截 (jié): This character means “to cut” or “to sever.” Imagine using a halberd (戈) to cut something off.
• 止 (zhǐ): This character originally depicted a foot, and it means “to stop” or “to cease.”
• 日 (rì): This character is a pictogram of the sun and means “day” or “date.”
• 期 (qī): This character refers to a “period of time” or a “scheduled time/date.”

The logic is beautifully straightforward: 截止 (jiézhǐ) combines “to cut” and “to stop,” creating the meaning “to cut off.” 日期 (rìqī) means “date.” Therefore, 截止日期 (jiézhǐ rìqī) literally translates to the “cut-off date”—the date on which everything stops.

Unlike deeply cultural terms like 关系 (guānxì) or 面子 (miànzi), 截止日期 (jiézhǐ rìqī) is a modern, functional concept that is largely universal. Its prevalence in modern China reflects the country's integration into the global economy and its fast-paced, goal-oriented environment in academia and business. In Western culture, a “deadline” carries a similar weight. The interesting comparison isn't in a difference of meaning, but in