Wednesday in Chinese: 星期三
Pronounced sheeng-chee-SAHN — literally “week (day) three”.
Wednesday in Chinese at a Glance
| Simplified | 星期三 |
|---|---|
| Traditional | 星期三 |
| Pinyin | xīngqīsān |
| Pronunciation | sheeng-chee-SAHN (xīng·qī·sān) |
| Literal meaning | week (day) three |
| Abbreviation | 周三 (zhōusān) |
| Also said as | 周三 (zhōusān) · 礼拜三 (lǐbàisān) |
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 三 (sān) is the number three: Wednesday is simply “week-day three”. Compare that with European languages that name Wednesday after the god Mercury or Woden.
How to Pronounce 星期三
sheeng-chee-SAHN — syllable by syllable: xīng·qī·sān.
- 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 星期三
How to Say “Happy Wednesday” in Chinese
“星期三快乐！” 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 Wednesday in Chinese
- 周三 (zhōusān) — neutral, very common
- 礼拜三 (lǐbàisān) — 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: Wednesday in Chinese-Speaking Countries
三 is written with three horizontal strokes — Wednesday is one of the easiest days to read in Chinese. Mid-week 星期三 is sometimes jokingly called 小周五 (xiǎo zhōuwǔ, “little Friday”) online.
Did You Know?
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 三 (sān) is the number three: Wednesday is simply “week-day three”. Compare that with European languages that name Wednesday after the god Mercury or Woden. Curious how English got its name for Wednesday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 星期三 in a Sentence
Chinese needs no preposition for “on”: 我星期三有课 (wǒ xīngqīsān yǒu kè) literally means “I Wednesday have class”. Time words like 星期三 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 Wednesday in Chinese?
Wednesday in Chinese is 星期三 (xīngqīsān), pronounced “sheeng-chee-SAHN”. It literally means “week (day) three”.
What does 星期三 mean in English?
星期 (xīngqī) means “week” and 三 (sān) is the number three: Wednesday is simply “week-day three”. Compare that with European languages that name Wednesday after the god Mercury or Woden.
How do you pronounce 星期三?
It's pronounced “sheeng-chee-SAHN” — broken into syllables: xīng·qī·sān. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 星期三 capitalized in Chinese?
Chinese characters have no capital letters, so 星期三 always looks the same. In pinyin, weekday names are written in lowercase (xīngqīsān) unless they begin a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Wednesday” in Chinese?
星期三快乐！ (Xīngqīsān kuàilè!). “星期三快乐！” 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 Wednesday abbreviated in Chinese?
Wednesday (星期三) is abbreviated 周三 (zhōusān) on Chinese calendars and schedules.
What's the difference between 星期三, 周三 and 礼拜三?
They all mean Wednesday. 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 Wednesday in Chinese pinyin?
The pinyin is xīngqīsān, pronounced roughly “sheeng-chee-SAHN”. Tone marks matter: 星期 takes the high, level first tone on both syllables.
Is 星期三 the same in traditional Chinese?
Yes — 星期三 is written identically in simplified and traditional Chinese. Only the colloquial 礼拜 form changes (traditional: 禮拜).
How do you say “today is Wednesday” in Chinese?
今天是星期三 (Jīntiān shì xīngqīsān) — literally “today is week (day) three”.
Wednesday 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.