shàngzhōu: 上周 - Last Week

• Keywords: shang zhou, 上周, last week in Chinese, previous week Chinese, Chinese time words, how to say last week in Mandarin, Chinese for last week, HSK 1 vocabulary, weekly Chinese words
• Summary: Learn how to say “last week” in Chinese with the essential term 上周 (shàng zhōu). This comprehensive guide breaks down the characters, explains the logical system behind Chinese time words, and provides 10 practical example sentences for daily conversation. Master this fundamental HSK 1 vocabulary to talk about past events and significantly improve your spoken Mandarin.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shàng zhōu
• Part of Speech: Time Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: The week immediately preceding the current week.
• In a Nutshell: 上周 (shàng zhōu) is the standard and most direct way to say “last week” in Mandarin Chinese. It's a high-frequency word you'll hear and use constantly. The character `上 (shàng)` here means “previous” in a time sequence, and `周 (zhōu)` means “week.”

• 上 (shàng): This character can mean “up,” “on,” or “to go up.” When used with time periods like weeks or months, it takes on the meaning of “previous” or “last.” Think of it as moving “up” the timeline into the past.
• 周 (zhōu): This character simply means “week.” It originally depicted a cycle or a circuit, which fits perfectly with the cyclical nature of a week.
• Combined Meaning: Together, 上周 (shàng zhōu) literally translates to “the previous week,” a simple and logical construction.

While “last week” is a universal concept, the way it's constructed in Chinese reveals a beautifully logical and systematic approach to time. Unlike English which uses distinct words (“last,” “this,” “next”), Chinese often uses a consistent pattern with `上 (shàng)`, `这 (zhè)`, and `下 (xià)`.

• 上 (shàng) - Last/Previous (e.g., 上周 - last week, `上个月` - last month)
• 这 (zhè) - This/Current (e.g., `这周` - this week, `这个月` - this month)
• 下 (xià) - Next/Following (e.g., `下周` - next week, `下个月` - next month)

This system makes learning sequential time words much more predictable than in English. Once you learn the pattern for weeks, you can easily apply it to months. This reflects a preference for systematic patterns in the language. The one major exception to this pattern is for years, where `去年 (qùnián)` is used for “last year.” In China, the standard work week begins on Monday (星期一, xīngqīyī), so 上周 is generally understood to refer to the period from the previous Monday to the previous Sunday.

上周 (shàng zhōu) is a neutral, everyday term used in all contexts, from casual chats to formal business reports. It has no special connotations and is a fundamental building block for discussing past events.

• In Conversation: You'll use it constantly to ask friends what they did, share stories, or explain why you were busy.
• In Business: It's used in meetings, emails, and reports to discuss progress, deadlines, and results from the previous week (e.g., “Last week's sales figures…”).
• On Social Media: People use it to post about recent events, trips, or activities, for example, “Sharing some photos from my trip 上周.”

Its usage is direct and uncomplicated, making it one of the first and most useful time words you will learn.

• Example 1:
  • 我上周很忙。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shàng zhōu hěn máng.
  • English: I was very busy last week.
  • Analysis: A simple, common statement about your state during the previous week.
• Example 2:
  • 你上周去哪儿了？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shàng zhōu qù nǎr le?
  • English: Where did you go last week?
  • Analysis: A standard question to catch up with a friend. Note the particle `了 (le)` after the verb, indicating a completed action.
• Example 3:
  • 他上周三给我打了电话。
  • Pinyin: Tā shàng zhōu sān gěi wǒ dǎ le diànhuà.
  • English: He called me last Wednesday.
  • Analysis: This shows how to specify a particular day within the previous week. The structure is `上周 + [Day of the week]`.
• Example 4:
  • 我们上周完成了那个项目。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen shàng zhōu wánchéng le nàge xiàngmù.
  • English: We finished that project last week.
  • Analysis: A typical example you might hear in a work or academic setting.
• Example 5:
  • 上周的天气比这周好。
  • Pinyin: Shàng zhōu de tiānqì bǐ zhè zhōu hǎo.
  • English: Last week's weather was better than this week's.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `比 (bǐ)` to draw a direct comparison between two time periods.
• Example 6:
  • 这部电影是上周上映的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng shì shàng zhōu shàngyìng de.
  • English: This movie was released last week.
  • Analysis: The `是…的 (shì…de)` structure is used here to emphasize the time when the action (releasing the movie) took place.
• Example 7:
  • 他从上周就开始咳嗽了。
  • Pinyin: Tā cóng shàng zhōu jiù kāishǐ késou le.
  • English: He started coughing last week. (And is likely still coughing).
  • Analysis: `从 (cóng)` means “from,” indicating the starting point of an action or state that continues.
• Example 8:
  • 我上周没去健身房。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shàng zhōu méi qù jiànshēnfáng.
  • English: I didn't go to the gym last week.
  • Analysis: To negate a past action, we use `没 (méi)` before the verb.
• Example 9:
  • 上周的会议你参加了吗？
  • Pinyin: Shàng zhōu de huìyì nǐ cānjiā le ma?
  • English: Did you attend last week's meeting?
  • Analysis: A common question in a professional environment. `的 (de)` connects “last week” to “meeting,” showing possession or association.
• Example 10:
  • 这本书是我上周在书店买的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn shū shì wǒ shàng zhōu zài shūdiàn mǎi de.
  • English: This is the book I bought at the bookstore last week.
  • Analysis: Another example of the `是…的 (shì…de)` construction, this time emphasizing the time and place of the purchase.

• 上周 vs. 上个星期: In spoken Chinese, you will very frequently hear 上个星期 (shàng ge xīngqī). Both terms mean “last week” and are almost completely interchangeable. 上周 (shàng zhōu) can be slightly more common in writing and formal contexts, while 上个星期 (shàng ge xīngqī) is extremely common in daily speech. Don't be confused; they are synonyms.
• Incorrect use of `了 (le)`: A common beginner mistake is to add a sentence-final `了 (le)` when a specific past time word like 上周 is already used.
  • Incorrect: 我上周去上海了。 (Wǒ shàng zhōu qù Shànghǎi le.) - This is often grammatically acceptable but can sound redundant to a native speaker.
  • Better: 我上周去了上海。 (Wǒ shàng zhōu qù le Shànghǎi.) - The `了` after the verb is sufficient to mark the completed action.
• The “Year” Exception: Do not apply the `上 (shàng)` pattern to the word “year.”
  • Incorrect: `上年 (shàng nián)`
  • Correct: 去年 (qùnián) - Last year. The character `去 (qù)`, meaning “to go,” is used for “last year.”

• 上个星期 (shàng ge xīngqī) - A direct synonym for 上周, very common in spoken Mandarin.
• 这周 (zhè zhōu) - The antonym in the time sequence: “this week.”
• 下周 (xià zhōu) - The next term in the sequence: “next week.”
• 上个月 (shàng ge yuè) - A parallel concept using the same `上` pattern: “last month.”
• 去年 (qùnián) - The term for “last year,” which importantly breaks the `上` pattern.
• 周末 (zhōumò) - A related concept meaning “weekend.” (`周` week + `末` end).
• 星期 (xīngqī) - The most common word for “week,” often used interchangeably with `周 (zhōu)`.
• 昨天 (zuótiān) - Yesterday.
• 前天 (qiántiān) - The day before yesterday.