Day and Week in Chinese

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, “day” is translated as 日 rì or 天 tiān, and “week” is translated as 週周 zhōu, 禮礼拜 lǐbài or 星期 xīngqíqī.

Structure

Number + 日 or 天

天 tiān is commonly translated as “day” or “a day.” 日 rì is less commonly used in everyday Chinese. It has a slightly more formal or poetic tone, and it is often seen in literature, historical contexts, or formal expressions.

兩liǎng天tiān两liǎng天tiān
Two days.

12 日rì12 日rì
12 days.

三sān天tiān兩liǎng夜yè三sān天tiān两liǎng夜yè
Three days and two nights.

這zhè需要xūyào五wǔ個ge工作日gōngzuòrì这zhè需要xūyào五wǔ个ge工作日gōngzuòrì
This will take five business days.

我們wǒmen公司gōngsī的de貨huò提供tígōng7 天tiān鑑賞期jiànshǎngqí我们wǒmen公司gōngsī的de货huò提供tígōng7 天tiān鉴赏期jiànshǎngqī
Our company provides a seven-day cooling-off period for our products.

FYI
The “seven-day cooling-off period” is a provision in Taiwan’s Consumer Protection Law. It allows consumers in certain types of transactions to request an unconditional return of the purchased goods within seven days. During this period, consumers can inspect the goods for completeness and any visible damages, but it is not intended as a trial period for actual use. The purpose is to give consumers the opportunity to examine the product before deciding whether to keep it. To be eligible for a full refund, the goods must be returned in their original, unused condition and with the packaging intact. It’s important to note that the seven-day period is specific to certain types of transactions and may not apply universally.

Number + 周, 禮拜/礼拜 or 星期

The terms 禮礼拜 lǐbài and 星期 xīngqíqī. require a measure word, while 週周 zhōu does not.

If you want to know the difference between these three, please check the following article:

• Time Expression – Week of Days

三sān個ge星期xīngqí三sān个ge星期xīngqī
Three weeks.

聖誕節shèngdànjié我們wǒmen要yào休息xiūxí兩liǎng週zhōu圣诞节shèngdànjié我们wǒmen要yào休息xiūxi两liǎng周zhōu
We will be on a two-week break for Christmas.

你們nǐmen哪nǎ個ge禮拜lǐbài有空yǒukòng？ 你们nǐmen哪nǎ个ge礼拜lǐbài有空yǒukòng？
Which week are you available?

一yí個ge星期xīngqí有yǒu七qī天tiān一yí个ge星期xīngqī有yǒu七qī天tiān
A week has seven days.

我wǒ每měi個ge禮拜lǐbài都dōu去qù教會jiàohuì我wǒ每měi个ge礼拜lǐbài都dōu去qù教会jiàohuì
I go to church every week.

上 or 下 + 周, 禮拜/礼拜 or 星期

上 shàng is used to indicate “previous” or “above,” and when combined with “week,” it refers to the week before the current one. And 下 xià is used to indicate “next” or “below,” and when combined with “week,” it refers to the week after the current one.

這zhè週zhōu这zhè周zhōu
This week.

下xià禮拜lǐbài下xià礼拜lǐbài
Next week.

上shàng星期xīngqí上shàng星期xīngqī
Last week.

下xià下xià週zhōu下xià下xià周zhōu
The week after next.

上shàng上shàng禮拜五lǐbàiwǔ上shàng上shàng礼拜五lǐbàiwǔ
The Friday before last.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ Next week, we only have to work for three days.

下xià禮拜lǐbài只zhǐ要yào工作gōngzuò3 天tiān下xià礼拜lǐbài只zhǐ要yào工作gōngzuò3 天tiān

✔️ I spent two weeks in China.

我wǒ在zài中國Zhōngguó玩wán了le2 個ge星期xīngqí我wǒ在zài中国Zhōngguó玩wán了le2 个ge星期xīngqī

✔️ Would you like to have dinner together next Friday?

你nǐ下下xiàxià禮拜五lǐbàiwǔ要yào一起yìqǐ吃飯chīfàn嗎ma？ 你nǐ下下xiàxià礼拜五lǐbàiwǔ要yào一起yìqǐ吃饭chīfàn吗ma？