Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== shàng ge xīngqī: 上个星期 - Last Week ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** last week in Chinese, shang ge xingqi, 上个星期 pinyin, meaning of shang ge, Chinese time words, last month in Chinese, last year in Chinese, HSK 1 vocabulary, Mandarin time phrases. * **Summary:** "上个星期" (shàng ge xīngqī) is the most common way to say "last week" or "the previous week" in Mandarin Chinese. This fundamental HSK 1 time phrase is built on a simple and logical pattern using "上" (shàng) to mean "previous." Understanding this term is essential for talking about past events and is a key building block for mastering Chinese time-related vocabulary like "last month" (上个月) and "next week" (下个星期). ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shàng ge xīngqī * **Part of Speech:** Time Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 1 * **Concise Definition:** A direct translation for "last week." * **In a Nutshell:** "上个星期" is the go-to phrase for referring to the week that has just passed. It literally combines "previous" (上), a measure word (个), and "week" (星期). It firmly places any associated action or event in the recent past. It's a cornerstone of everyday conversation for planning, recounting stories, and scheduling. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **上 (shàng):** Originally a pictogram of a line above another, meaning "up" or "above." In the context of time, it takes on the meaning of "previous" or "last." Think of time flowing like a river; the past is "upstream." * **个 (ge):** The most common measure word in Chinese. It acts as a bridge between the descriptor (上) and the noun (星期). While sometimes optional, including it is very common in spoken Chinese. * **星 (xīng):** Means "star." * **期 (qī):** Means a "period" or "cycle." When combined, `星期 (xīngqī)` literally means a "star period," reflecting ancient methods of timekeeping based on celestial bodies. Putting it all together, `上个星期 (shàng ge xīngqī)` means "the previous week-period." ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== The term "上个星期" itself is a simple time marker, but the logic behind it reveals a core concept in Chinese language: the spatial metaphor for time. Unlike English where "last," "this," and "next" are three unrelated words, Chinese uses a consistent "up/down" system for many time units: * **上 (shàng) - "Up":** Refers to the past (last week, last month). * **这 (zhè) - "This":** Refers to the present (this week, this month). * **下 (xià) - "Down":** Refers to the future (next week, next month). This can be visualized as a timeline or a flowing river. The past is "upstream" (上游), and the future is "downstream" (下游). This logical, visual system is a powerful pattern that, once learned, makes remembering a wide range of time words much easier for learners. It reflects a systematic way of organizing concepts that is common in the Chinese language. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== "上个星期" is used constantly in all registers of spoken and written Chinese. It's as common as "last week" is in English. * **In Conversation:** Used to ask about recent events, talk about what you did, or reference something that happened. It's informal and natural. * **In Business:** Used for scheduling, reviewing past performance, and setting deadlines. "What were last week's sales figures?" * **Variations:** You will often hear or see `上星期 (shàng xīngqī)` without the `个 (ge)`. This is also perfectly correct and is slightly more common in writing or can sound a bit more concise. For a beginner, using `上个星期` with the `个` is always a safe and natural-sounding choice. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我**上个星期**很忙。 * Pinyin: Wǒ **shàng ge xīngqī** hěn máng. * English: I was very busy last week. * Analysis: A simple statement of fact. The time phrase `上个星期` is placed at the beginning of the sentence (after the subject) to establish the time frame for the entire statement. * **Example 2:** * 你**上个星期**去哪儿了？ * Pinyin: Nǐ **shàng ge xīngqī** qù nǎr le? * English: Where did you go last week? * Analysis: A common question using `了 (le)` to indicate a completed action in the past. * **Example 3:** * **上个星期**的天气非常好。 * Pinyin: **Shàng ge xīngqī** de tiānqì fēicháng hǎo. * English: The weather last week was extremely good. * Analysis: Here, `上个星期` acts as an adjective modifying "weather" (天气) with the help of the particle `的 (de)`. * **Example 4:** * 他**上个星期**一给我打了电话。 * Pinyin: Tā **shàng ge xīngqī** yī gěi wǒ dǎle diànhuà. * English: He gave me a call last Monday. * Analysis: This shows how to specify a particular day within the previous week. You simply state the day (星期一, Monday) after the main time phrase. * **Example 5:** * 这部电影是**上个星期**上映的。 * Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng shì **shàng ge xīngqī** shàngyìng de. * English: This movie was released last week. * Analysis: This sentence uses the `是...的 (shì...de)` construction to emphasize the time (last week) when the action (releasing the movie) occurred. * **Example 6:** * 我们**上个星期**才认识。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen **shàng ge xīngqī** cái rènshi. * English: We only met last week. * Analysis: The word `才 (cái)` is used here to emphasize that the event happened more recently than one might expect. * **Example 7:** * **上个星期**我读完了一本书。 * Pinyin: **Shàng ge xīngqī** wǒ dú wán le yī běn shū. * English: I finished reading a book last week. * Analysis: The result complement `完 (wán)` combined with `了 (le)` clearly indicates the completion of the action "to read" (读) within the past time frame. * **Example 8:** * 老板说**上个星期**的报告写得不错。 * Pinyin: Lǎobǎn shuō **shàng ge xīngqī** de bàogào xiě de bùcuò. * English: The boss said that last week's report was written well. * Analysis: Another example of using `的 (de)` to make "last week" a descriptor for the noun "report" (报告). * **Example 9:** * 我忘了**上个星期**我们开会讨论了什么。 * Pinyin: Wǒ wàng le **shàng ge xīngqī** wǒmen kāihuì tǎolùn le shénme. * English: I forgot what we discussed in the meeting last week. * Analysis: This shows `上个星期` used within a more complex sentence structure, as part of an object clause. * **Example 10:** * 跟**上个星期**比，这个星期我感觉好多了。 * Pinyin: Gēn **shàng ge xīngqī** bǐ, zhège xīngqī wǒ gǎnjué hǎo duō le. * English: Compared to last week, I feel much better this week. * Analysis: This sentence uses the `跟...比 (gēn...bǐ)` structure to draw a direct comparison between "last week" and "this week." ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Mistake 1: Mixing up 上 and 下.** This is the most frequent error for beginners. Remember the "river of time" metaphor: * **上 (shàng) = Upstream = Past = Last Week** * **下 (xià) = Downstream = Future = Next Week** * Incorrect: `我下个星期去了北京。` (I next week went to Beijing.) * Correct: `我**上个星期**去了北京。` (I last week went to Beijing.) * **Mistake 2: Forgetting the measure word.** While `上星期` is correct, it's slightly more formal. In everyday speech, `上个星期` is more common and natural. Forgetting the `个` when it's needed with other numbers can be an error. * Correct: `**上个星期**` (shàng ge xīngqī) - Last week. * Also Correct: `**上星期**` (shàng xīngqī) - Last week (slightly more formal/abbreviated). * Incorrect: `上星期们` - You cannot make time words plural. * **Mistake 3: Unnecessary use of 在 (zài).** In English, we say "**in** the morning" or "**on** Monday," but with relative time words like `昨天 (zuótiān)`, `今天 (jīntiān)`, and `上个星期`, you typically do not need the preposition `在 (zài)`. * Incorrect: `我在上个星期很忙。` * Correct: `我**上个星期**很忙。` ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[这个星期]] (zhè ge xīngqī) - This week; the current week. * [[下个星期]] (xià ge xīngqī) - Next week; the antonym of `上个星期`. * [[上个月]] (shàng ge yuè) - Last month; applies the same `上` (last) pattern to the word for "month." * [[下个月]] (xià ge yuè) - Next month; applies the `下` (next) pattern. * [[去年]] (qùnián) - Last year. Note that "year" (年) uses a different character, `去 (qù)`, meaning "to go" or "gone by." * [[上周]] (shàng zhōu) - A more formal or written synonym for `上个星期`. `周 (zhōu)` is another word for "week." * [[下周]] (xià zhōu) - A more formal synonym for `下个星期`. * [[昨天]] (zuótiān) - Yesterday. * [[周末]] (zhōumò) - Weekend. You can say `上个周末 (shàng ge zhōumò)` for "last weekend."