Sunday in Chinese: 星期日
Pronounced sheeng-chee-RR — literally “week (day of the) sun”.
Sunday in Chinese at a Glance
| Simplified | 星期日 / 星期天 |
|---|---|
| Traditional | 星期日 / 星期天 |
| Pinyin | xīngqīrì / xīngqītiān |
| Pronunciation | sheeng-chee-RR (xīng·qī·rì) |
| Literal meaning | week (day of the) sun |
| Abbreviation | 周日 (zhōurì) |
| Also said as | 星期天 (xīngqītiān) · 周日 (zhōurì) · 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān) |
Sunday breaks the numbering pattern: instead of “week-day seven”, Chinese says 星期日 (xīngqīrì, “week sun-day”) or 星期天 (xīngqītiān, “week sky-day”). The 日 (“sun”) echoes the day's ancient solar dedication — the same sun behind English “Sunday”.
How to Pronounce 星期日
sheeng-chee-RR — syllable by syllable: xīng·qī·rì.
- Tones matter: 星期 is xīngqī (first tone, high and level, on both syllables).
- The q in qī sounds like English “ch” but with the tongue closer to the teeth.
- The x in xīng is a soft “sh” sound made with spread lips, not rounded ones.
Example Sentences with 星期日
How to Say “Happy Sunday” in Chinese
“星期日快乐！” is understood and used in friendly messages, though it's less of a fixed custom than in English. On weekends you'll often see 周末愉快 (zhōumò yúkuài) — “have a pleasant weekend”.
Other Ways to Say Sunday in Chinese
- 星期天 (xīngqītiān) — equally correct; more casual and more common in speech
- 周日 (zhōurì) — common in writing
- 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān) — colloquial
All 7 Days of the Week in Chinese
Mandarin Chinese uses a beautifully logical numbered week: 星期 (xīngqī) means “week”, and you simply attach the numbers one to six for Monday through Saturday. Sunday is the only exception — it uses 日 (rì, “sun”) or 天 (tiān, “sky/day”) instead of a seven.
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Pronunciation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 星期一 | xīngqīyī | sheeng-chee-EE | |
| Tuesday | 星期二 | xīngqī'èr | sheeng-chee-AR | |
| Wednesday | 星期三 | xīngqīsān | sheeng-chee-SAHN | |
| Thursday | 星期四 | xīngqīsì | sheeng-chee-SUH | |
| Friday | 星期五 | xīngqīwǔ | sheeng-chee-WOO | |
| Saturday | 星期六 | xīngqīliù | sheeng-chee-LYOH | |
| Sunday | 星期日 | xīngqīrì | sheeng-chee-RR |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in Chinese.
Cultural Notes: Sunday in Chinese-Speaking Countries
星期日 is the formal written form; in conversation most people say 星期天 (xīngqītiān). There is no 星期七 — saying “week-day seven” is a classic beginner's slip that will earn you a friendly correction.
Did You Know?
Sunday breaks the numbering pattern: instead of “week-day seven”, Chinese says 星期日 (xīngqīrì, “week sun-day”) or 星期天 (xīngqītiān, “week sky-day”). The 日 (“sun”) echoes the day's ancient solar dedication — the same sun behind English “Sunday”. Curious how English got its name for Sunday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 星期日 in a Sentence
Chinese needs no preposition for “on”: 我星期日有课 (wǒ xīngqīrì yǒu kè) literally means “I Sunday have class”. Time words like 星期日 go before the verb. You can swap 星期 (xīngqī) for 周 (zhōu) or the colloquial 礼拜 (lǐbài) without changing the meaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Sunday in Chinese?
Sunday in Chinese is 星期日 (xīngqīrì), pronounced “sheeng-chee-RR”. It literally means “week (day of the) sun”.
What does 星期日 mean in English?
Sunday breaks the numbering pattern: instead of “week-day seven”, Chinese says 星期日 (xīngqīrì, “week sun-day”) or 星期天 (xīngqītiān, “week sky-day”). The 日 (“sun”) echoes the day's ancient solar dedication — the same sun behind English “Sunday”.
How do you pronounce 星期日?
It's pronounced “sheeng-chee-RR” — broken into syllables: xīng·qī·rì. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 星期日 capitalized in Chinese?
Chinese characters have no capital letters, so 星期日 always looks the same. In pinyin, weekday names are written in lowercase (xīngqīrì) unless they begin a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Sunday” in Chinese?
星期日快乐！ (Xīngqīrì kuàilè!). “星期日快乐！” is understood and used in friendly messages, though it's less of a fixed custom than in English. On weekends you'll often see 周末愉快 (zhōumò yúkuài) — “have a pleasant weekend”.
How is Sunday abbreviated in Chinese?
Sunday (星期日) is abbreviated 周日 (zhōurì) on Chinese calendars and schedules.
What's the difference between 星期日, 星期天 and 礼拜天?
They all mean Sunday. 星期 (xīngqī) is the standard form, 周 (zhōu) is a shorter equivalent common in writing and schedules, and 礼拜 (lǐbài, originally “worship”) is colloquial, heard especially in southern China and Taiwan.
How do you write Sunday in Chinese pinyin?
The pinyin is xīngqīrì, pronounced roughly “sheeng-chee-RR”. Tone marks matter: 星期 takes the high, level first tone on both syllables.
Is 星期日 the same in traditional Chinese?
Yes — 星期日 is written identically in simplified and traditional Chinese. Only the colloquial 礼拜 form changes (traditional: 禮拜).
How do you say “today is Sunday” in Chinese?
今天是星期日 (Jīntiān shì xīngqīrì) — literally “today is week (day of the) sun”.
Sunday in Other Languages
Other Days in Chinese
Wondering what day it is in China right now? Check our live What day is it in China? page.