Saturday in Japanese: 土曜日
Pronounced doh-YOH-bee — literally “earth (soil) day”.
Saturday in Japanese at a Glance
| Kanji | 土曜日 |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | どようび |
| Romaji | doyōbi |
| Pronunciation | doh-YOH-bee (do·yō·bi) |
| Literal meaning | earth (soil) day |
| Abbreviation | 土 |
The first kanji 土 (do) means “earth” or “soil” and begins 土星 (dosei), the planet Saturn — the “earth star”. So Saturday is “earth day”, a direct parallel to English Saturday, “Saturn's day”.
How to Pronounce 土曜日
doh-YOH-bee — syllable by syllable: do·yō·bi.
- The ō is a long vowel — hold the “oh” sound roughly twice as long as a normal o.
- Japanese gives each syllable nearly equal stress, so avoid punching one syllable the way English does.
- 曜日 (yōbi) means “day of the week” and is shared by all seven days — only the first kanji changes.
Example Sentences with 土曜日
How to Say “Happy Saturday” in Japanese
Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Saturday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Saturday”). On Fridays you'll more often hear 良い週末を (yoi shūmatsu o) — “have a great weekend”.
All 7 Days of the Week in Japanese
Japanese names its days after the sun, the moon and the five classical elements (fire, water, wood, metal and earth), which also correspond to the five visible planets. The system mirrors the old Greco-Roman planetary week, so each Japanese day lines up with the same celestial body as its English or Latin counterpart.
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Pronunciation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 月曜日 | getsuyōbi | geh-tsoo-YOH-bee | |
| Tuesday | 火曜日 | kayōbi | kah-YOH-bee | |
| Wednesday | 水曜日 | suiyōbi | soo-ee-YOH-bee | |
| Thursday | 木曜日 | mokuyōbi | moh-koo-YOH-bee | |
| Friday | 金曜日 | kin'yōbi | keen-YOH-bee | |
| Saturday | 土曜日 | doyōbi | doh-YOH-bee | |
| Sunday | 日曜日 | nichiyōbi | nee-chee-YOH-bee |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in Japanese.
Cultural Notes: Saturday in Japanese-Speaking Countries
土曜日 anchors the Japanese weekend (週末, shūmatsu). Until the 1990s many Japanese schools and offices worked Saturday mornings — older generations still call a free Saturday a luxury. Cram schools (塾, juku) often run on Saturdays.
Did You Know?
The first kanji 土 (do) means “earth” or “soil” and begins 土星 (dosei), the planet Saturn — the “earth star”. So Saturday is “earth day”, a direct parallel to English Saturday, “Saturn's day”. Curious how English got its name for Saturday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 土曜日 in a Sentence
To say “on Saturday”, add the particle に (ni): 土曜日に (doyōbi ni). In casual speech and writing, the final 日 (bi) is often dropped, giving 土曜 (doyō). On calendars, timetables and phone apps, each day is shortened to its first kanji in parentheses — you'll see Saturday written as (土).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Saturday in Japanese?
Saturday in Japanese is 土曜日 (doyōbi), pronounced “doh-YOH-bee”. It literally means “earth (soil) day”.
What does 土曜日 mean in English?
The first kanji 土 (do) means “earth” or “soil” and begins 土星 (dosei), the planet Saturn — the “earth star”. So Saturday is “earth day”, a direct parallel to English Saturday, “Saturn's day”.
How do you pronounce 土曜日?
It's pronounced “doh-YOH-bee” — broken into syllables: do·yō·bi. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 土曜日 capitalized in Japanese?
Japanese has no capital letters, so 土曜日 is always written the same way. When writing the word in romaji (Latin letters), day names are normally lowercase — doyōbi — though you may see them capitalized at the start of a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Saturday” in Japanese?
良い土曜日を！ (Yoi doyōbi o!). Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Saturday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Saturday”). On Fridays you'll more often hear 良い週末を (yoi shūmatsu o) — “have a great weekend”.
How is Saturday abbreviated in Japanese?
Saturday (土曜日) is abbreviated 土 on Japanese calendars and schedules.
What is Saturday in Japanese hiragana?
In hiragana, Saturday is written どようび (doyōbi). The kanji form 土曜日 is what you'll normally see in print, but the hiragana spelling shows exactly how it's pronounced.
What is the kanji for Saturday in Japanese?
The kanji form is 土曜日. The first character, 土, means “earth”, and 曜日 (yōbi) means “day of the week”. On calendars it's abbreviated to just (土).
How do you write Saturday in romaji?
The standard romaji spelling is doyōbi. Without the long-vowel mark you'll also see doyoubi — both represent the same pronunciation.
How do you say “today is Saturday” in Japanese?
今日は土曜日です (Kyō wa doyōbi desu) — literally “as for today, it is Saturday”.
Saturday in Other Languages
Other Days in Japanese
Wondering what day it is in Japan right now? Check our live What day is it in Japan? page.