Wednesday in Japanese: 水曜日
Pronounced soo-ee-YOH-bee — literally “water day”.
Wednesday in Japanese at a Glance
| Kanji | 水曜日 |
|---|---|
| Hiragana | すいようび |
| Romaji | suiyōbi |
| Pronunciation | soo-ee-YOH-bee (su·i·yō·bi) |
| Literal meaning | water day |
| Abbreviation | 水 |
The first kanji 水 (sui) means “water” and begins 水星 (suisei), the planet Mercury — the “water star”. 水曜日 is literally “water day”, which parallels Wednesday's link to Mercury in Romance languages (Spanish miércoles, French mercredi).
How to Pronounce 水曜日
soo-ee-YOH-bee — syllable by syllable: su·i·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 水曜日
How to Say “Happy Wednesday” in Japanese
Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Wednesday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Wednesday”). 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: Wednesday in Japanese-Speaking Countries
水 is one of the first kanji Japanese children learn. You'll meet it in 水 (mizu, water) on restaurant menus and 水着 (mizugi, swimsuit). Mid-week Wednesday is a popular “no-overtime day” (ノー残業デー) at many Japanese companies.
Did You Know?
The first kanji 水 (sui) means “water” and begins 水星 (suisei), the planet Mercury — the “water star”. 水曜日 is literally “water day”, which parallels Wednesday's link to Mercury in Romance languages (Spanish miércoles, French mercredi). Curious how English got its name for Wednesday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use 水曜日 in a Sentence
To say “on Wednesday”, add the particle に (ni): 水曜日に (suiyōbi ni). In casual speech and writing, the final 日 (bi) is often dropped, giving 水曜 (suiyō). On calendars, timetables and phone apps, each day is shortened to its first kanji in parentheses — you'll see Wednesday written as (水).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Wednesday in Japanese?
Wednesday in Japanese is 水曜日 (suiyōbi), pronounced “soo-ee-YOH-bee”. It literally means “water day”.
What does 水曜日 mean in English?
The first kanji 水 (sui) means “water” and begins 水星 (suisei), the planet Mercury — the “water star”. 水曜日 is literally “water day”, which parallels Wednesday's link to Mercury in Romance languages (Spanish miércoles, French mercredi).
How do you pronounce 水曜日?
It's pronounced “soo-ee-YOH-bee” — broken into syllables: su·i·yō·bi. Use the audio button on this page to hear a recording.
Is 水曜日 capitalized in Japanese?
Japanese has no capital letters, so 水曜日 is always written the same way. When writing the word in romaji (Latin letters), day names are normally lowercase — suiyōbi — though you may see them capitalized at the start of a sentence.
How do you say “Happy Wednesday” in Japanese?
良い水曜日を！ (Yoi suiyōbi o!). Japanese speakers don't traditionally greet each other with “Happy Wednesday”, but the phrase above is natural and widely understood (literally “have a good Wednesday”). On Fridays you'll more often hear 良い週末を (yoi shūmatsu o) — “have a great weekend”.
How is Wednesday abbreviated in Japanese?
Wednesday (水曜日) is abbreviated 水 on Japanese calendars and schedules.
What is Wednesday in Japanese hiragana?
In hiragana, Wednesday is written すいようび (suiyōbi). The kanji form 水曜日 is what you'll normally see in print, but the hiragana spelling shows exactly how it's pronounced.
What is the kanji for Wednesday in Japanese?
The kanji form is 水曜日. The first character, 水, means “water”, and 曜日 (yōbi) means “day of the week”. On calendars it's abbreviated to just (水).
How do you write Wednesday in romaji?
The standard romaji spelling is suiyōbi. Without the long-vowel mark you'll also see suiyoubi — both represent the same pronunciation.
How do you say “today is Wednesday” in Japanese?
今日は水曜日です (Kyō wa suiyōbi desu) — literally “as for today, it is Wednesday”.
Wednesday 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.