zhōurì: 周日 - Sunday

• Keywords: zhōurì, 周日, Sunday in Chinese, how to say Sunday in Chinese, days of the week in Chinese, Chinese calendar, zhōumò, xīngqīrì, lǐbàitiān, learn Chinese vocabulary
• Summary: Learn how to say and use 周日 (zhōurì), the Chinese word for Sunday. This guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, and cultural context. We'll explore how 周日 (zhōurì) compares to its common synonyms like 星期天 (xīngqītiān) and 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān), and teach you how to use it correctly in everyday conversation with over 10 practical example sentences. Master the days of the week in Chinese and avoid common mistakes.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhōurì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: Sunday.
• In a Nutshell: 周日 (zhōurì) is one of the most common ways to say “Sunday” in Mandarin Chinese. It's used frequently in both written and spoken contexts and is considered a standard, slightly formal term. It literally combines the characters for “week” and “sun,” making it easy to remember.

• 周 (zhōu): This character means “cycle” or “week.” You can think of a week as a complete cycle of days. It is also a common Chinese surname.
• 日 (rì): This character means “sun” or “day.” It's a pictograph, originally drawn to look like the sun.

When combined, 周日 (zhōurì) literally means “week-sun” or “day of the sun in the week,” which directly corresponds to the English “Sun-day.” This makes it one of the easiest days of the week for English speakers to learn.

Unlike English, where days of the week are named after Norse and Roman gods (e.g., Thursday is “Thor's day,” Saturday is “Saturn's day”), the standard Chinese system is mostly numerical. Days are numbered from one to six, starting with Monday.

• Monday: 星期一 (xīngqīyī) or 周一 (zhōuyī) - “Week Day One”
• Tuesday: 星期二 (xīngqī'èr) or 周二 (zhōu'èr) - “Week Day Two”
• …and so on up to Saturday.

Sunday is the exception to this numerical pattern. Instead of being called “day seven,” it is called 周日 (zhōurì), the “Sun Day,” or 星期天 (xīngqītiān), the “Sky Day.” This parallel with the English “Sunday” is a result of China adopting the seven-day week from the West. While the concept of a weekend is now deeply ingrained in modern Chinese life, with Sunday being a day for family, rest, and leisure, the naming system reflects a blend of logical numbering and cultural adoption.

周日 (zhōurì) is a universally understood term for Sunday. Here's how its usage compares to other terms:

• Formal / Written: 周日 (zhōurì) is very common in writing, schedules, official notices, and news reports. It feels neutral and standard. For example, a sign on a shop door might say “周日休息” (Rest on Sunday).
• Informal / Spoken: In daily conversation, you will hear 周日 (zhōurì), but you will also frequently hear 星期天 (xīngqītiān) and sometimes 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān). 星期天 is arguably the most common colloquial term in many parts of China.
• Connotation: All terms are neutral. The choice between them is mostly a matter of habit, region, or formality. Using 周日 is always a safe and correct choice for a learner.

• Example 1:
  • 今天是周日。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān shì zhōurì.
  • English: Today is Sunday.
  • Analysis: A simple, declarative sentence. This is one of the first full sentences you learn as a beginner.
• Example 2:
  • 你周日有什么安排？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhōurì yǒu shéme ānpái?
  • English: What are your plans for Sunday?
  • Analysis: A common question for making plans with friends. `安排 (ānpái)` means “arrangements” or “plans”.
• Example 3:
  • 我们周日去看电影吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen zhōurì qù kàn diànyǐng ba.
  • English: Let's go see a movie on Sunday.
  • Analysis: The particle `吧 (ba)` at the end softens the tone and turns the statement into a suggestion.
• Example 4:
  • 这个周日是我的生日。
  • Pinyin: Zhège zhōurì shì wǒ de shēngrì.
  • English: This Sunday is my birthday.
  • Analysis: `这个 (zhège)` specifies “this coming” Sunday. If you wanted to say “last Sunday,” you would use `上个 (shàng ge)`.
• Example 5:
  • 我每个周日都去公园跑步。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měi ge zhōurì dōu qù gōngyuán pǎobù.
  • English: I go running in the park every Sunday.
  • Analysis: `每个…都… (měi ge…dōu…)` is a key structure for “every…”. It emphasizes that the action happens on all Sundays without exception.
• Example 6:
  • 商店周日也开门吗？
  • Pinyin: Shāngdiàn zhōurì yě kāimén ma?
  • English: Is the store also open on Sundays?
  • Analysis: A practical question for daily life. `也 (yě)` means “also,” implying you know it's open on other days.
• Example 7:
  • 他从周一工作到周六，只有周日休息。
  • Pinyin: Tā cóng zhōuyī gōngzuò dào zhōuliù, zhǐyǒu zhōurì xiūxi.
  • English: He works from Monday to Saturday, and only rests on Sunday.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the `从…到… (cóng…dào…)` structure, meaning “from…to…”. `只有 (zhǐyǒu)` means “only”.
• Example 8:
  • 不好意思，我周日要加班。
  • Pinyin: Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ zhōurì yào jiābān.
  • English: Sorry, I have to work overtime on Sunday.
  • Analysis: A common way to politely decline an invitation. `加班 (jiābān)` is a very common word meaning “to work overtime.”
• Example 9:
  • 周日的天气预报说会下雨。
  • Pinyin: Zhōurì de tiānqì yùbào shuō huì xià yǔ.
  • English: The weather forecast for Sunday says it will rain.
  • Analysis: Shows how 周日 can be used to specify a time frame for another noun, in this case, `天气预报 (tiānqì yùbào)`, the weather forecast.
• Example 10:
  • 我们把会议定在下周日怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bǎ huìyì dìng zài xià zhōurì zěnmeyàng?
  • English: How about we schedule the meeting for next Sunday?
  • Analysis: `下 (xià)` means “next”. This is a useful sentence for work or formal planning. The `把 (bǎ)` structure is used here to dispose of the object `会议 (huìyì)`.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the existence of three different words for “Sunday.”

• 周日 (zhōurì): Standard, common in writing and speech. Literally “week-sun.” Always a safe bet.
• 星期天 (xīngqītiān): Extremely common in colloquial, spoken Chinese. `星期 (xīngqī)` is the most common word for “week,” and `天 (tiān)` means “day” or “sky.” It feels slightly more casual than 周日. Note: 星期日 (xīngqīrì) also exists and is more formal/written, but 星期天 is far more common in speech.
• 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān): Comes from `礼拜 (lǐbài)`, which means “to worship” or “religious service.” It has Christian origins (“day of worship”) but is now used secularly in many regions, especially in Southern China and by older generations.

Common Mistakes:

• Incorrect: ~~周天 (zhōu tiān)~~
  • Explanation: Learners often try to mix and match, combining `周` from 周日 and `天` from 星期天. This is not a standard word for Sunday. Stick to 周日 or 星期天.
• Confusing 周日 (zhōurì) with 周末 (zhōumò):
  • 周日 (zhōurì) specifically means Sunday.
  • 周末 (zhōumò) means weekend, which typically includes both Saturday (周六) and Sunday (周日). Don't say “I had a great 周日” if you mean you had a great weekend.

• 周末 (zhōumò) - Weekend. 周日 is the last day of the 周末.
• 星期天 (xīngqītiān) - The most common colloquial synonym for 周日.
• 礼拜天 (lǐbàitiān) - A common synonym for 周日, with religious origins but now used secularly.
• 周一 (zhōuyī) - Monday. The day that follows 周日.
• 星期六 (xīngqīliù) - Saturday. The day before 周日.
• 工作日 (gōngzuòrì) - Workday; weekday. The conceptual opposite of a weekend day like 周日.
• 休息 (xiūxi) - To rest. What people typically do on 周日.
• 放假 (fàngjià) - To have a day off; to be on vacation. 周日 is a standard day off for many people.
• 天 (tiān) - Day; sky. A character found in synonyms like 星期天 and 礼拜天.
• 星期 (xīngqī) - Week. The most common word for week, used to form the names of the days.