Thursday in Chinese: 星期四
Pronounced sheeng-chee-SUH — literally “week (day) four”.
Thursday in Chinese at a Glance
| Simplified | 星期四 |
|---|---|
| Traditional | 星期四 |
| Pinyin | xīngqīsì |
| Pronunciation | sheeng-chee-SUH (xīng·qī·sì) |
| Literal meaning | week (day) four |
| Abbreviation | 周四 (zhōusì) |
| Also said as | 周四 (zhōusì) · 礼拜四 (lǐbàisì) |
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 四 (sì) is the number four: Thursday is “week-day four”. Note the falling fourth tone on sì — different from 三 sān's level tone.
How to Pronounce 星期四
sheeng-chee-SUH — syllable by syllable: xīng·qī·sì.
- 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 星期四
How to Say “Happy Thursday” in Chinese
“星期四快乐！” 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 Thursday in Chinese
- 周四 (zhōusì) — neutral, very common
- 礼拜四 (lǐbàisì) — 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: Thursday in Chinese-Speaking Countries
Pronounce 四 (sì) carefully: with the wrong tone it becomes 死 (sǐ, “death”), the reason four is considered unlucky in Chinese culture — though nobody holds that against Thursday.
Did You Know?
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 四 (sì) is the number four: Thursday is “week-day four”. Note the falling fourth tone on sì — different from 三 sān's level tone. Curious how English got its name for Thursday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 星期四 in a Sentence
Chinese needs no preposition for “on”: 我星期四有课 (wǒ xīngqīsì yǒu kè) literally means “I Thursday have class”. Time words like 星期四 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 Thursday in Chinese?
Thursday in Chinese is 星期四 (xīngqīsì), pronounced “sheeng-chee-SUH”. It literally means “week (day) four”.
What does 星期四 mean in English?
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 四 (sì) is the number four: Thursday is “week-day four”. Note the falling fourth tone on sì — different from 三 sān's level tone.
How do you pronounce 星期四?
It's pronounced “sheeng-chee-SUH” — broken into syllables: xīng·qī·sì. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 星期四 capitalized in Chinese?
Chinese characters have no capital letters, so 星期四 always looks the same. In pinyin, weekday names are written in lowercase (xīngqīsì) unless they begin a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Thursday” in Chinese?
星期四快乐！ (Xīngqīsì kuàilè!). “星期四快乐！” 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 Thursday abbreviated in Chinese?
Thursday (星期四) is abbreviated 周四 (zhōusì) on Chinese calendars and schedules.
What's the difference between 星期四, 周四 and 礼拜四?
They all mean Thursday. 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 Thursday in Chinese pinyin?
The pinyin is xīngqīsì, pronounced roughly “sheeng-chee-SUH”. Tone marks matter: 星期 takes the high, level first tone on both syllables.
Is 星期四 the same in traditional Chinese?
Yes — 星期四 is written identically in simplified and traditional Chinese. Only the colloquial 礼拜 form changes (traditional: 禮拜).
How do you say “today is Thursday” in Chinese?
今天是星期四 (Jīntiān shì xīngqīsì) — literally “today is week (day) four”.
Thursday 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.