星期五
xīngqī wǔ
Friday
星期五 (xīngqīwǔ) is the standard way to say "Friday" in Mandarin Chinese, literally meaning "week five." It refers to the fifth day of the week.
What does 星期五 (xīngqī wǔ) mean?
星期五 (xīngqī wǔ) means “friday” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “week five.”
When to use it
Neutral and widely understood. It's the most common way to refer to Friday. Other common terms for "week" are 周 (zhōu) and 礼拜 (lǐbài), so you might also hear 周五 (zhōuwǔ) or 礼拜五 (lǐbàiwǔ).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "SHING-chee-WOO." The first two syllables have a high-level tone, and the third is a third tone (dipping then rising).
Other ways to say it
- 周五zhōu wǔFriday (abbreviated)
- 礼拜五lǐbai wǔFriday (another common term)
Examples
我星期五要去北京。
wǒ xīngqī wǔ yào qù Běijīng.
I'm going to Beijing on Friday.
你星期五有时间吗？
nǐ xīngqī wǔ yǒu shíjiān ma?
Do you have time on Friday?
我们通常星期五晚上出去吃饭。
wǒmen tōngcháng xīngqī wǔ wǎnshang chūqù chīfàn.
We usually go out for dinner on Friday evenings.
Pro tip: The character 五 (wǔ) means "five," indicating Friday as the fifth day of the week when counting from Monday.
Related phrases
星期三 · Wednesday星期四 · Thursday星期六 · Saturday
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