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星期五
xīngqīwǔ
Friday
今天是星期五，我们放假。
Today is Friday, so we have a day off.
formal
The fifth day of the week, following Thursday and preceding Saturday.
这个会议安排在下个星期五。
This meeting is scheduled for next Friday.
星期五晚上我们通常会看电影。
We usually watch a movie on Friday nights.
In Chinese, 星期五 is commonly abbreviated as 周五 or 礼拜五 in informal contexts.
Pro Tip
Remembering the days of the week
In Chinese, the days of the week are formed by adding a number (一 to 六) or 日/天 (day) after 星期 (week). For example, 星期一 (Monday), 星期二 (Tuesday), etc. Sunday is 星期日 or 星期天.
Word Origin
星期 (xīngqī) means 'week' and originates from the phrase '星之期' (xīng zhī qī, 'period of the stars'), referring to the seven celestial bodies (Sun, Moon, and five planets) that were believed to influence time. 五 (wǔ) means 'five,' indicating the fifth day of the week.
Usage Notes
In spoken Chinese, 星期五 is often shortened to 周五 (zhōu wǔ) or 礼拜五 (lǐbài wǔ). The latter is more common in southern China and Taiwan.
Word Breakdown
星
star
root期
period/time
root五
five
root汉英词典