星期 (xīng qī) — week; day of the week | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

星期 means 'week' and also 'day of the week' (e.g. 星期一 = Monday). 周 is a shorter, more colloquial synonym for 'week' (一个星期 = 一个周).

noun

weekday of the week

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.

The characters for star and period combine to name the cycle of seven days, then any day in that cycle.

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.

Appears in