星期日 (xīng qī rì) — Sunday | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal written way to say 'Sunday' — same as 星期天, just with the more literary character 日 instead of 天. Both mean exactly the same day.

noun

Sunday

Measure word · 个

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

星期

偏正Modifier + head

The seven-day cycle named by star and period is joined with day to single out Sunday.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The top of 星 is a later simplified form of 晶, twinkling stars; the bottom 生 shows the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

其

Same sound today

The original form paired 其 for its sound with 日 (sun). A related form changed that sun to 月, and this later developed into 期.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

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