Dates in Chinese are one of the fundamental yet crucial aspects when learning Chinese. In this article, Ni Hao Ma will guide you through mastering how to express dates in Chinese, along with practical conversational examples to help you communicate confidently in various situations.
Vocabulary for Dates in Chinese
When learning Chinese, vocabulary related to dates, months, and years is essential for every learner. Understanding and proficiently using date-related vocabulary in Chinese will make it easier for you to engage in daily conversations, read calendars, schedule appointments, or describe time effectively.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 星期 | xīngqī | Week |
| 星期一 | xīngqī yī | Monday |
| 星期二 | xīngqī èr | Tuesday |
| 星期三 | xīngqī sān | Wednesday |
| 星期四 | xīngqī sì | Thursday |
| 星期五 | xīngqī wǔ | Friday |
| 星期六 | xīngqī liù | Saturday |
| 星期天/星期日 | xīngqī tiān/rì | Sunday |
| 今天 | jīntiān | Today |
| 昨天 | zuótiān | Yesterday |
| 明天 | míngtiān | Tomorrow |
| 后天 | hòutiān | The day after tomorrow |
| 前天 | qiántiān | The day before yesterday |
| 月 | yuè | Month |
| 一月 | yīyuè | January |
| 二月 | èryuè | February |
| 三月 | sānyuè | March |
| 四月 | sìyuè | April |
| 五月 | wǔyuè | May |
| 六月 | liùyuè | June |
| 七月 | qīyuè | July |
| 八月 | bāyuè | August |
| 九月 | jiǔyuè | September |
| 十月 | shíyuè | October |
| 十一月 | shíyīyuè | November |
| 十二月 | shí’èryuè | December |
| 日 | rì | Day (formal) |
| 号 | hào | Day |
| 年 | nián | Year |
| 去年 | qùnián | Last year |
| 今年 | jīnnián | This year |
| 明年 | míngnián | Next year |
| 公元前 | gōng yuán qián | BC (Before Christ) |
| 公历 | gōnglì | Gregorian Calendar |
| 农历 | nónglì | Lunar Calendar |
| 春节 | chūnjié | Spring Festival |
| 年初 | niánchū | Beginning of the year |
| 年底 | niándǐ | End of the year |
| 一天 | yītiān | One day |
| 每天 | měitiān | Every day |
| 每月 | měiyuè | Every month |
| 每年 | měinián | Every year |
| 春天 | chūntiān | Spring |
| 夏天 | xiàtiān | Summer |
| 秋天 | qiūtiān | Autumn |
| 冬天 | dōngtiān | Winter |
| 周末 | zhōumò | Weekend |
| 后来 | hòulái | Later, afterward |
How to Say Dates in Chinese
Saying dates in Chinese is quite simple, but there are some differences compared to Vietnamese. In this section, Ni Hao Ma will guide you through the most detailed way to express dates in Chinese.
How to Say “Days of the Week” in Chinese
In Chinese, days of the week (or weekdays) are called 星期 (xīngqī), followed by a number indicating the specific day. The structure for talking about weekdays is as follows:
星期 + Number
Examples:
- 星期一 (xīngqī yī) – Monday
- 星期二 (xīngqī èr) – Tuesday
- 星期三 (xīngqī sān) – Wednesday
- 星期四 (xīngqī sì) – Thursday
- 星期五 (xīngqī wǔ) – Friday
- 星期六 (xīngqī liù) – Saturday
- 星期天/星期日 (xīngqī tiān/xīngqī rì) – Sunday
Note: For Sunday, both 星期天 (xīngqī tiān) and 星期日 (xīngqī rì) are acceptable.
Learn more: Mastering Chinese Numbers in Detail
How to Say “Day” in Chinese
Both 日 (rì) and 号 (hào) can be translated as “day” in Chinese, but they differ in usage, context, and purpose. 日 (rì) is commonly used in formal writing and documents such as contracts, official papers, etc. On the other hand, 号 (hào) is less formal and is often used when asking about birthdays or in daily conversations.
The structure for expressing dates in Chinese is as follows:
Number + 日 (rì) / 号 (hào)
Examples:
- 今天是20日 (Jīntiān shì 20 rì) – Today is the 20th.
- 我的生日是5号 (Wǒ de shēngrì shì 5 hào) – My birthday is on the 5th.
How to Say “Month” in Chinese
Saying months in Chinese is relatively simple. To express a month of the year, you combine numbers 1 to 12 with the character 月 (yuè), which means “month.”
Number + 月 (yuè)
Examples:
- January – 1月 (yī yuè)
- February – 2月 (èr yuè)
- March – 3月 (sān yuè)
- April – 4月 (sì yuè)
- May – 5月 (wǔ yuè)
- June – 6月 (liù yuè)
- July – 7月 (qī yuè)
- August – 8月 (bā yuè)
- September – 9月 (jiǔ yuè)
- October – 10月 (shí yuè)
- November – 11月 (shíyī yuè)
- December – 12月 (shí’èr yuè)
How to Say “Year” in Chinese
The character 年 (nián) means “year” in Chinese. When talking about years, Chinese speakers typically pronounce each digit of the year separately, followed by 年 (nián).
Number + 年 (nián)
Examples:
- Year 2025: èr líng èr wǔ nián
- Year 1990: yī jiǔ jiǔ líng nián
- Year 1985: yī jiǔ bā wǔ nián
- Year 2000: èr líng líng líng nián
- Year 2023: èr líng èr sān nián
Rules for Saying Dates in Chinese
In Chinese, the order for expressing dates in Chinese differs from Vietnamese or English. The standard sequence is:
Year + Month + Day
Examples:
- August 15, 2025 = 2025年8月15日 (èr líng èr wǔ nián bā yuè shí wǔ rì)
- January 1, 2024 = 2024年1月1日 (èr líng èr sì nián yī yuè yī rì)
You May Be Interested In: How to Say Time in Chinese
Common Phrases for Talking About Dates in Chinese
When learning Chinese, mastering how to express dates in Chinese is crucial because these are basic pieces of information we use daily. To help you understand how to express days, months, and years in daily conversations, take a look at the following dialogue:
A: 你什么时候过生日？
(Nǐ shénme shíhòu guò shēngrì?)
When is your birthday?
B: 我的生日是12月15号。
(Wǒ de shēngrì shì shí’èr yuè shíwǔ hào.)
My birthday is on December 15th.
A: 哦，你的生日是下星期三，对吧？你有什么计划吗?
(Ó, nǐ de shēngrì shì xià xīngqī sān, duì ba? Nǐ yǒu shénme jìhuà ma?)
Oh, your birthday is next Wednesday, right? Do you have any plans?
B: 我打算和家人和朋友一起去吃饭。
(Wǒ dǎsuàn hé jiārén hé péngyǒu yīqǐ qù chīfàn.)
I plan to go out to eat with my family and friends.
Conclusion
Mastering how to talk about dates in Chinese is essential for effective communication in work, travel, and everyday life. We hope that this article from Ni Hao Ma has helped you understand how to use vocabulary related to dates and communicate more effectively in real-life dialogues.
