Sunday in Japanese: 日曜日
Pronounced nee-chee-YOH-bee — literally “sun day”.
Sunday in Japanese at a Glance
| Kanji | 日曜日 |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | にちようび |
| Romaji | nichiyōbi |
| Pronunciation | nee-chee-YOH-bee (ni·chi·yō·bi) |
| Literal meaning | sun day |
| Abbreviation | 日 |
The first kanji 日 (nichi) means “sun” (or “day”). 日曜日 is literally “sun day” — the same meaning as English Sunday and Latin dies Solis. The character appears twice: once as “sun” and once as “day”.
How to Pronounce 日曜日
nee-chee-YOH-bee — syllable by syllable: ni·chi·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 日曜日
How to Say “Happy Sunday” in Japanese
Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Sunday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Sunday”). 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: Sunday in Japanese-Speaking Countries
Sunday is the standard family day off, and Japanese calendars traditionally place it first in the week, usually printed in red. 日 is also the first character of 日本 (Nihon, Japan) — the “land of the rising sun”.
Did You Know?
The first kanji 日 (nichi) means “sun” (or “day”). 日曜日 is literally “sun day” — the same meaning as English Sunday and Latin dies Solis. The character appears twice: once as “sun” and once as “day”. Curious how English got its name for Sunday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 日曜日 in a Sentence
To say “on Sunday”, add the particle に (ni): 日曜日に (nichiyōbi ni). In casual speech and writing, the final 日 (bi) is often dropped, giving 日曜 (nichiyō). On calendars, timetables and phone apps, each day is shortened to its first kanji in parentheses — you'll see Sunday written as (日).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Sunday in Japanese?
Sunday in Japanese is 日曜日 (nichiyōbi), pronounced “nee-chee-YOH-bee”. It literally means “sun day”.
What does 日曜日 mean in English?
The first kanji 日 (nichi) means “sun” (or “day”). 日曜日 is literally “sun day” — the same meaning as English Sunday and Latin dies Solis. The character appears twice: once as “sun” and once as “day”.
How do you pronounce 日曜日?
It's pronounced “nee-chee-YOH-bee” — broken into syllables: ni·chi·yō·bi. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 日曜日 capitalized in Japanese?
Japanese has no capital letters, so 日曜日 is always written the same way. When writing the word in romaji (Latin letters), day names are normally lowercase — nichiyōbi — though you may see them capitalized at the start of a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Sunday” in Japanese?
良い日曜日を！ (Yoi nichiyōbi o!). Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Sunday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Sunday”). On Fridays you'll more often hear 良い週末を (yoi shūmatsu o) — “have a great weekend”.
How is Sunday abbreviated in Japanese?
Sunday (日曜日) is abbreviated 日 on Japanese calendars and schedules.
What is Sunday in Japanese hiragana?
In hiragana, Sunday is written にちようび (nichiyōbi). The kanji form 日曜日 is what you'll normally see in print, but the hiragana spelling shows exactly how it's pronounced.
What is the kanji for Sunday in Japanese?
The kanji form is 日曜日. The first character, 日, means “sun”, and 曜日 (yōbi) means “day of the week”. On calendars it's abbreviated to just (日).
How do you write Sunday in romaji?
The standard romaji spelling is nichiyōbi. Without the long-vowel mark you'll also see nichiyoubi — both represent the same pronunciation.
How do you say “today is Sunday” in Japanese?
今日は日曜日です (Kyō wa nichiyōbi desu) — literally “as for today, it is Sunday”.
Sunday 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.