běnzhōu: 本周 - This Week

• Keywords: 本周, benzhou, this week in Chinese, Chinese for this week, Chinese time words, weekly schedule in Chinese, 上周, 下周, 这个星期, learn Chinese
• Summary: Learn how to say “this week” in Chinese with the essential term 本周 (běnzhōu). This guide breaks down the characters, provides cultural context on the Chinese work week, and offers 10+ practical example sentences for daily conversation, business meetings, and planning. Understand the crucial difference between 本周 (běnzhōu) and its more casual counterpart 这个星期 (zhège xīngqī) to master time expressions in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): běnzhōu
• Part of Speech: Time Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: This current week.
• In a Nutshell: 本周 (běnzhōu) is a standard and slightly formal way to say “this week.” It's the go-to term for written communication, news reports, business settings, and formal announcements. While perfectly understandable in conversation, it's less common in casual chats between friends, where “这个星期 (zhège xīngqī)” is usually preferred. Think of it as the difference between saying “this week” and “the current week” in English.

• 本 (běn): This character originally depicted a tree (木) with a line at the bottom marking its roots. Its core meaning is “root” or “origin.” By extension, it has come to mean “this,” “current,” or “the present one,” as if pointing to the source or origin point in time.
• 周 (zhōu): The character 周 represents a “cycle” or a “circuit.” It is the standard character used to mean “week” in Chinese.
• Combined Meaning: When you put them together, 本 (běn) “this/current” + 周 (zhōu) “week” logically and directly means “this current week.”

While 本周 (běnzhōu) itself is a straightforward time word, its usage highlights the distinction between formal and informal registers in Chinese communication. In a culture that values clarity and propriety in professional and official contexts, using the correct term for the situation is important.

• Comparison to Western Usage: In English, “this week” is used almost universally, from a CEO's email to a text message between friends. In Chinese, there's a clearer split. A company-wide email will almost always use 本周 to announce “this week's targets” (本周目标). However, when asking a friend “What are you up to this week?”, you would almost certainly use a more colloquial term like 这个星期 (zhège xīngqī). Using 本周 in a very casual context isn't wrong, but it can make you sound slightly formal or distant.
• Scheduling and Modern Life: The widespread use of terms like 本周, 上周 (last week), and 下周 (next week) reflects the fast-paced, schedule-driven nature of modern urban China. Mastery of these terms is fundamental for making appointments, setting deadlines, and simply organizing one's life, both professionally and personally.

• Written & Formal Contexts: This is the primary domain for 本周. You will see it constantly in:
  • Business Emails: “本周会议纪要” (This week's meeting minutes).
  • News Headlines: “本周国内油价上调” (Domestic oil prices to rise this week).
  • Official Notices: “本周图书馆开放时间” (Library opening hours for this week).
  • Academic Papers & Reports: “本研究回顾了本周的…” (This study reviews this week's…).
• Spoken & Semi-Formal Contexts: It's common in structured conversations:
  • In the Office: A manager might ask, “你本周的工作计划是什么？” (What is your work plan for this week?).
  • Making Appointments: When booking a doctor's appointment over the phone.
• Casual Conversation: Less common. While understood, it's more natural to use 这个星期 (zhège xīngqī) or 这礼拜 (zhè lǐbài).

• Example 1:
  • 本周我有很多会议。
  • Pinyin: Běnzhōu wǒ yǒu hěn duō huìyì.
  • English: I have a lot of meetings this week.
  • Analysis: A very common and neutral sentence you might say to a colleague about your schedule. It functions as a simple time-setter at the beginning of the sentence.
• Example 2:
  • 请在本周五之前提交你的报告。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng zài běnzhōu wǔ zhīqián tíjiāo nǐ de bàogào.
  • English: Please submit your report before this Friday.
  • Analysis: A classic example from a business or academic setting. The use of 本周 is standard for setting deadlines in a formal request.
• Example 3:
  • 我们本周的销售目标是五十万。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen běnzhōu de xiāoshòu mùbiāo shì wǔshí wàn.
  • English: Our sales target for this week is 500,000.
  • Analysis: Used here to define a specific time frame for a goal. Very common in a business meeting context.
• Example 4:
  • 本周天气预报说会下雨。
  • Pinyin: Běnzhōu tiānqì yùbào shuō huì xià yǔ.
  • English: The weather forecast says it will rain this week.
  • Analysis: While weather is a daily topic, using 本周 is common when referring to a formal forecast you might see on TV or in an app.
• Example 5:
  • 你本周有什么特别的安排吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ běnzhōu yǒu shé me tèbié de ānpái ma?
  • English: Do you have any special arrangements this week?
  • Analysis: This is a polite, slightly formal way to ask about someone's plans. You might use this with a new acquaintance or a colleague you don't know very well.
• Example 6:
  • 这是本周最重要的新闻。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì běnzhōu zuì zhòngyào de xīnwén.
  • English: This is the most important news of this week.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how 本周 is used as a possessive modifier with “的 (de)”. Standard in news reporting.
• Example 7:
  • 我本周没空，我们下周再约吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ běnzhōu méi kòng, wǒmen xiàzhōu zài yuē ba.
  • English: I'm not free this week, let's schedule for next week.
  • Analysis: A clear and direct way to decline a plan and propose an alternative. Perfect for scheduling.
• Example 8:
  • 本周的课程都已经上传到网上了。
  • Pinyin: Běnzhōu de kèchéng dōu yǐjīng shàngchuán dào wǎngshàng le.
  • English: This week's classes have all been uploaded online.
  • Analysis: A typical announcement you would receive from a school or university.
• Example 9:
  • 公司本周日组织团队建设活动。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī běnzhōu rì zǔzhī tuánduì jiànshè huódòng.
  • English: The company is organizing a team-building activity this Sunday.
  • Analysis: Shows how to specify a particular day within the current week. 本周日 means “this Sunday.”
• Example 10:
  • 我本周每天都坚持锻炼。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ běnzhōu měitiān dōu jiānchí duànliàn.
  • English: I have persisted in exercising every day this week.
  • Analysis: Used to describe a consistent action or state within the current week.

• 本周 (běnzhōu) vs. 这个星期 (zhège xīngqī): This is the most important distinction.
  • 本周 (běnzhōu): More formal, preferred in writing and official speech.
  • 这个星期 (zhège xīngqī): More colloquial, the default choice for casual, everyday conversation.
  • Mistake: Using 本周 with your best friend to ask “Wanna grab a beer this week?” can sound a bit stilted. It's better to say: “这个星期想喝啤酒吗？” (Zhège xīngqī xiǎng hē píjiǔ ma?).
• Referring to the Calendar Week: 本周 refers to the objective calendar week (usually Monday-Sunday). It's not used to mean “my week” in a subjective sense.
  • Incorrect: 我的本周很忙。 (Wǒ de běnzhōu hěn máng.) - This sounds like “My this week is busy,” which is grammatically awkward.
  • Correct: 我本周很忙。 (Wǒ běnzhōu hěn máng.) - This means “I am busy this week.” The time word acts as an adverbial phrase modifying the adjective “busy.”

• 这个星期 (zhège xīngqī) - The most common spoken equivalent of “this week”; more colloquial.
• 上周 (shàngzhōu) - Last week. The direct antonym.
• 下周 (xiàzhōu) - Next week. The direct antonym.
• 周末 (zhōumò) - Weekend. A part of the 周 (week).
• 周一 (zhōuyī) - Monday. (Literally “week one”). Similarly, 周二, 周三, etc., for other days.
• 本月 (běnyuè) - This month. A parallel concept, using 本 (běn) to mean “this current.”
• 今年 (jīnnián) - This year. A parallel concept for the current year.
• 星期 (xīngqī) - Week. The general term for a week.
• 礼拜 (lǐbài) - Week. Another common spoken word for “week,” derived from the word for religious worship. Often used interchangeably with 星期 in conversation.