Tuesday in Japanese: 火曜日
Pronounced kah-YOH-bee — literally “fire day”.
Tuesday in Japanese at a Glance
| Kanji | 火曜日 |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | かようび |
| Romaji | kayōbi |
| Pronunciation | kah-YOH-bee (ka·yō·bi) |
| Literal meaning | fire day |
| Abbreviation | 火 |
The first kanji 火 (ka) means “fire” and is also the first character of 火星 (kasei), the planet Mars — the “fire star”. So Tuesday is “fire day”, matching the Mars/war-god theme behind English Tuesday and Spanish martes.
How to Pronounce 火曜日
kah-YOH-bee — syllable by syllable: ka·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 火曜日
How to Say “Happy Tuesday” in Japanese
Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Tuesday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Tuesday”). 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: Tuesday in Japanese-Speaking Countries
Like English, Japanese inherited a planetary week, so 火曜日 lines up with Mars just as Tuesday lines up with the war god Tiw. The element kanji 火 appears constantly in daily life — in 火事 (kaji, fire/blaze) and 花火 (hanabi, fireworks).
Did You Know?
The first kanji 火 (ka) means “fire” and is also the first character of 火星 (kasei), the planet Mars — the “fire star”. So Tuesday is “fire day”, matching the Mars/war-god theme behind English Tuesday and Spanish martes. Curious how English got its name for Tuesday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 火曜日 in a Sentence
To say “on Tuesday”, add the particle に (ni): 火曜日に (kayōbi ni). In casual speech and writing, the final 日 (bi) is often dropped, giving 火曜 (kayō). On calendars, timetables and phone apps, each day is shortened to its first kanji in parentheses — you'll see Tuesday written as (火).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Tuesday in Japanese?
Tuesday in Japanese is 火曜日 (kayōbi), pronounced “kah-YOH-bee”. It literally means “fire day”.
What does 火曜日 mean in English?
The first kanji 火 (ka) means “fire” and is also the first character of 火星 (kasei), the planet Mars — the “fire star”. So Tuesday is “fire day”, matching the Mars/war-god theme behind English Tuesday and Spanish martes.
How do you pronounce 火曜日?
It's pronounced “kah-YOH-bee” — broken into syllables: ka·yō·bi. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 火曜日 capitalized in Japanese?
Japanese has no capital letters, so 火曜日 is always written the same way. When writing the word in romaji (Latin letters), day names are normally lowercase — kayōbi — though you may see them capitalized at the start of a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Tuesday” in Japanese?
良い火曜日を！ (Yoi kayōbi o!). Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Tuesday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Tuesday”). On Fridays you'll more often hear 良い週末を (yoi shūmatsu o) — “have a great weekend”.
How is Tuesday abbreviated in Japanese?
Tuesday (火曜日) is abbreviated 火 on Japanese calendars and schedules.
What is Tuesday in Japanese hiragana?
In hiragana, Tuesday is written かようび (kayōbi). The kanji form 火曜日 is what you'll normally see in print, but the hiragana spelling shows exactly how it's pronounced.
What is the kanji for Tuesday in Japanese?
The kanji form is 火曜日. The first character, 火, means “fire”, and 曜日 (yōbi) means “day of the week”. On calendars it's abbreviated to just (火).
How do you write Tuesday in romaji?
The standard romaji spelling is kayōbi. Without the long-vowel mark you'll also see kayoubi — both represent the same pronunciation.
How do you say “today is Tuesday” in Japanese?
今日は火曜日です (Kyō wa kayōbi desu) — literally “as for today, it is Tuesday”.
Tuesday 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.