Tuesday in Chinese: 星期二
Pronounced sheeng-chee-AR — literally “week (day) two”.
Tuesday in Chinese at a Glance
| Simplified | 星期二 |
|---|---|
| Traditional | 星期二 |
| Pinyin | xīngqī'èr |
| Pronunciation | sheeng-chee-AR (xīng·qī·èr) |
| Literal meaning | week (day) two |
| Abbreviation | 周二 (zhōu'èr) |
| Also said as | 周二 (zhōu'èr) · 礼拜二 (lǐbài'èr) |
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 二 (èr) is the number two: Tuesday is “week-day two”. The apostrophe in pinyin (xīngqī'èr) just marks the syllable break before a vowel.
How to Pronounce 星期二
sheeng-chee-AR — syllable by syllable: xīng·qī·èr.
- 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 星期二
How to Say “Happy Tuesday” in Chinese
“星期二快乐！” 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 Tuesday in Chinese
- 周二 (zhōu'èr) — neutral, very common
- 礼拜二 (lǐbài'èr) — 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: Tuesday in Chinese-Speaking Countries
Because the days are numbered, learning to count to seven in Chinese instantly gives you the whole week — a favorite first lesson in Mandarin classes.
Did You Know?
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 二 (èr) is the number two: Tuesday is “week-day two”. The apostrophe in pinyin (xīngqī'èr) just marks the syllable break before a vowel. Curious how English got its name for Tuesday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 星期二 in a Sentence
Chinese needs no preposition for “on”: 我星期二有课 (wǒ xīngqī'èr yǒu kè) literally means “I Tuesday have class”. Time words like 星期二 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 Tuesday in Chinese?
Tuesday in Chinese is 星期二 (xīngqī'èr), pronounced “sheeng-chee-AR”. It literally means “week (day) two”.
What does 星期二 mean in English?
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 二 (èr) is the number two: Tuesday is “week-day two”. The apostrophe in pinyin (xīngqī'èr) just marks the syllable break before a vowel.
How do you pronounce 星期二?
It's pronounced “sheeng-chee-AR” — broken into syllables: xīng·qī·èr. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 星期二 capitalized in Chinese?
Chinese characters have no capital letters, so 星期二 always looks the same. In pinyin, weekday names are written in lowercase (xīngqī'èr) unless they begin a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Tuesday” in Chinese?
星期二快乐！ (Xīngqī'èr kuàilè!). “星期二快乐！” 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 Tuesday abbreviated in Chinese?
Tuesday (星期二) is abbreviated 周二 (zhōu'èr) on Chinese calendars and schedules.
What's the difference between 星期二, 周二 and 礼拜二?
They all mean Tuesday. 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 Tuesday in Chinese pinyin?
The pinyin is xīngqī'èr, pronounced roughly “sheeng-chee-AR”. Tone marks matter: 星期 takes the high, level first tone on both syllables.
Is 星期二 the same in traditional Chinese?
Yes — 星期二 is written identically in simplified and traditional Chinese. Only the colloquial 礼拜 form changes (traditional: 禮拜).
How do you say “today is Tuesday” in Chinese?
今天是星期二 (Jīntiān shì xīngqī'èr) — literally “today is week (day) two”.
Tuesday 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.