Knowing how to talk about dates is essential for everyday life, from making plans to understanding schedules. This guide covers the fundamental vocabulary for the days of the week (星期 xīngqī), months of the year (月份 yuèfèn), and seasons (季节 jìjié) in Mandarin Chinese.

These are core vocabulary items usually introduced early when you learn Chinese online with Sprachlingua.

Days of the Week (星期 - Xīngqī)

The Chinese system for days of the week is wonderfully logical! It uses the word 星期 (xīngqī - week) followed by a number from one to six.

Important: Days of the week are generally not capitalized in Mandarin Chinese.

• 星期一 xīngqīyī (Monday - week one)
• 星期二 xīngqī'èr (Tuesday - week two)
• 星期三 xīngqīsān (Wednesday - week three)
• 星期四 xīngqīsì (Thursday - week four)
• 星期五 xīngqīwǔ (Friday - week five)
• 星期六 xīngqīliù (Saturday - week six)
• 星期日 xīngqīrì (Sunday - week sun)
• 星期天 xīngqītiān (Sunday - week sky/day)

Note: Both 星期日 (xīngqīrì) and 星期天 (xīngqītiān) mean Sunday. 星期天 is often more common in spoken language.

You might also hear 周 (zhōu - week) used instead of 星期 (e.g., 周一 zhōuyī, 周二 zhōu'èr), especially for the weekend: 周末 (zhōumò).

Useful Related Words:

• 今天 jīntiān = today
• 昨天 zuótiān = yesterday
• 明天 míngtiān = tomorrow
• 前天 qiántiān = the day before yesterday
• 后天 hòutiān = the day after tomorrow
• 星期 / 周 xīngqī / zhōu = week
• 周末 zhōumò = weekend

Example: 今天星期几? Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ? (What day is it today?)

Example: 明天是星期五。 Míngtiān shì xīngqīwǔ. (Tomorrow is Friday.)

Months of the Year (月份 - Yuèfèn)

Similar to the days, the months in Chinese are incredibly simple and logical. You just use the number (1-12) followed by the character 月 (yuè - month).

Important: Months are also not capitalized unless they start a sentence.

• 一月 yīyuè (January - first month)
• 二月 èryuè (February - second month)
• 三月 sānyuè (March - third month)
• 四月 sìyuè (April - fourth month)
• 五月 wǔyuè (May - fifth month)
• 六月 liùyuè (June - sixth month)
• 七月 qīyuè (July - seventh month)
• 八月 bāyuè (August - eighth month)
• 九月 jiǔyuè (September - ninth month)
• 十月 shíyuè (October - tenth month)
• 十一月 shíyīyuè (November - eleventh month)
• 十二月 shí'èryuè (December - twelfth month)

Useful Related Words:

• 月 yuè = month
• 年 nián = year
• 日期 rìqī = date
• 生日 shēngrì = birthday
• 号 hào = day of the month (spoken)
• 日 rì = day of the month (written)

Example: 现在是几月? Xiànzài shì jǐ yuè? (What month is it now?)

Example: 十二月是最后一个月。 Shí'èryuè shì zuìhòu yí ge yuè. (December is the last month.)

Seasons (季节 - Jìjié)

The four seasons have distinct names:

• 春天 / 春季 chūntiān / chūnjì (Spring)
• 夏天 / 夏季 xiàtiān / xiàjì (Summer)
• 秋天 / 秋季 qiūtiān / qiūjì (Autumn/Fall)
• 冬天 / 冬季 dōngtiān / dōngjì (Winter)

The versions ending in 天 (tiān) are more common in spoken language, while those ending in 季 (jì) are slightly more formal or literary.

Example: 北京的秋天很漂亮。Běijīng de qiūtiān hěn piàoliang. (Beijing's autumn is very beautiful.)

Learning about culture related to seasons and festivals is also part of understanding the language, explored in our Chinese curriculum.

Putting it Together: Dates and Phrases

• Stating the Date: The standard order is Year - Month - Day:
  • 年 nián + 月 yuè + 日 rì (written) / 号 hào (spoken)
  • Example: 2023年11月21号 - èr líng èr sān nián shíyī yuè èrshíyī hào (November 21st, 2023 - spoken)
  • Example: 2023年11月21日 - èr líng èr sān nián shíyī yuè èrshíyī rì (November 21st, 2023 - written)
• Asking the Date: 今天几月几号? Jīntiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào? (What's the date today?)
• Combining Day and Date: 今天是星期二，十一月二十一号。 Jīntiān shì xīngqī'èr, shíyī yuè èrshíyī hào. (Today is Tuesday, November 21st.)
• Referring to next/last week/month/year: Use 上个 (shàng ge - last), 这个 (zhè ge - this), 下个 (xià ge - next) before 星期 or 月.
  • Example: 上个星期五 shàng ge xīngqīwǔ (last Friday)
  • Example: 下个月 xià ge yuè (next month)
  • For years: 去年 (qùnián - last year), 今年 (jīnnián - this year), 明年 (míngnián - next year)

Using these structures correctly is essential for making appointments and discussing schedules, a practical skill refined through online Chinese learning.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Mandarin Chinese offers a surprisingly logical system for days and months, relying heavily on numbers. Mastering the core vocabulary for days, months, seasons, and related terms like today/tomorrow/yesterday is crucial for basic communication.

Remember to focus on correct pronunciation and tones. Practice saying the current date and day regularly. Find out why Sprachlingua's method effectively builds this foundational vocabulary.

Ready to talk about dates like a native?

Keep practicing – 天天向上 (tiāntiān xiàng shàng - make progress every day)!