Time 1
Days and Months
Chinese days of the week are easy to remember! Just add the number of the weekday (Monday = 1, Tuesday = 2, etc.) to 星期 (xīngqī), which means week.
The only exception is Sunday, where we say 天 (tiān, sky) or 日 (rì, sun) instead of a number. It doesn’t matter whether you choose 天 or 日... just pick your favorite!
The only exception is Sunday, where we say 天 (tiān, sky) or 日 (rì, sun) instead of a number. It doesn’t matter whether you choose 天 or 日... just pick your favorite!
星期一
(xīngqīyī) Monday
星期二
(xīngqī'èr) Tuesday
星期三
(xīngqīsān) Wednesday
星期四
(xīngqīsì) Thursday
星期五
(xīngqīwǔ) Friday
星期六
(xīngqīliù) Saturday
星期天 / 星期日
(xīngqītiān / xīngqīrì) Sunday
For month names, say the number of the month (January = 1, February = 2, etc.) before 月 (yuè), which means month.
一月
(yīyuè) January
二月
(èryuè) February
三月
(sānyuè) March
十二月
(shí’èryuè) December
Years
In English, we say two thousand and eighteen or twenty eighteen for the name of the year. But in Chinese, you say each individual number followed by 年 (nián). So 2018 would be 二〇一八年 (èr líng yī bā nián), which literally means two zero one eight year.
Notice that when you write years in Chinese, 〇 (líng) is used for zero instead of 零!
Notice that when you write years in Chinese, 〇 (líng) is used for zero instead of 零!
二〇一八年
èr líng yī bā nián
一九八一年
yī jiǔ bā yī nián
一八六五年
yī bā liù wǔ nián
Talking about dates
To say a complete date in Chinese, start with the year, followed by the month, and then the day of the week. For November 30, 2011 you'd begin with the year:
二〇一一年
(èr líng yī yī nián) 2011
Then add the month:
十一月
(shíyīyuè) November
And the day:
三十号
(sānshí hào) 30th
Put it all together and November 30, 2011 is 二〇一一年十一月三十号!
To say Monday, December 1 you'd start with the month:
To say Monday, December 1 you'd start with the month:
十二月一号
shí'èryuè yī hào
Then add the day of the week:
星期一
xīngqíyī
What day is it?
To ask about the date or time of day, use 几 (jǐ), which means how many.
今天星期几？
(Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?) What day is it today?
今天星期六。
(Jīntiān xīngqīliù.) Today is Saturday.
现在几点？
(Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?) What time is it now?
现在六点。
(Xiànzài liù diǎn.) It is six o'clock now.
To ask what date it is, ask for the month (几月, jǐ yuè) and the day of the month (几号, jǐ hào) at the same time.
今天几月几号？
(Jīntiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào?) What date is it today?
今天七月五号。
(Jīntiān qī yuè wǔ hào.) Today is July 5th.