Chapter Three

TELLING DATES
Chapter Outline Learning Objectives
 Days After studying this chapter you should be able to:
 Days of the Week
 Months of the Year 3.1 memorize mandarin translation of telling the Date, based
 Year on days, days of the week, months, and years;

3.2 translate and pronounce dates with correct tone; and

3.3 recognize rules when translating and telling dates.

OVERVIEW: Telling Dates

Translating Chinese dates are easy since you already learn about cardinal numbers. The
traditional Chinese calendar (officially known as the Agricultural Calendar; Nónglì; 'farming calendar', Farmer
Calendar; Jiùlì], Traditional Calendar; Lǎolì or Yin Calendar; Yīnlì; 'yin calendar'), is a lunisolar calendar which
reckons years, months and days according to astronomical phenomena. Gregorian calendar was used in modern
China. The calendar also govern with holidays such as the Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival. These are
celebrated both local Chinese and Chinese people overseas.

Days begin and end at midnight, and months begin on the day of the new moon. Years begin on the
second (or third) new moon after the winter solstice. Solar terms govern the beginning and end of each month. In
this chapter you will be learning to tell dates essential for learners as beginners.
LESSON 1. Days
There are two ways to say Day in Chinese “hào” and “rì”. Both refer to the day of the month. Usually,
we use “hào” when we talk about the Day in Mandarin and “rì” when we write the Day in Chinese. You can use
either to replace each other in speaking and writing the Day in Chinese. The auxiliary word is attach after the
number.

Days of the Month Translation (hào) Days of the Month Translation (rì)
1st day Yī hào 6th day Lìu rì
2nd day Èr hào 7th day Qī rì
3rd day Sān hào 8th day Bā rì
4th day Sì hào 9th day Jǐu rì
5th day Wŭ hào 10th day Shí rì
… and so on.

LESSON 2. Days of the Week

Learning numbers helped you a lot in terms of telling the days of the week. Just remember that there
are seven (7) days in a week, we will be using the translation of numbers 1-6 in this section to represent Monday
to Saturday. You will find out the word used for Sunday in the table below.
“Xīngqī”, the word you will be attaching before the number to translate days in a week in Chinese.

Days of the Week Chinese Translation

Monday Xīngqīyī
Tuesday Xīngqīèr
Wednesday Xīngqīsān
Thursday Xīngqīsì
Friday Xīngqīwŭ
Saturday Xīngqīlǐu
Sunday Xīngqītīan

 For a concrete example and practice of days of the week click the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4k_oDAP2Pk

The following are some of the words and phrases helpful in learning days of the week in Chinese.

Words/Phrases Translation Words/Phrases Translation

last Monday shàngge Xīngqīyī during the week zài zhōunèi
this Wednesday zhēige Xīngqīsān everyday měitīan
birthday shēngrì from this day on cóng jīntīan qǐ
the day after tomorrow hòutīan holidays jíerì
the day before yesterday qíantīan last week shàngge xīngqī
during the day zài báitīan the next day dìèr tīan
during the evening zài wǎnshàng next week xìage xīngqī
this week zhēige xīngqī yesterday zúotīan
today jīntīan the week after the next xìaxìage xīngqī
tomorrow míngtīan the weekend zhōumò
vacation day jìari a week from today xìa xīngqī de tóng yī
tīan

Activity 1. Memorize the translation of the days of the week (Monday-Sunday) and the common words/phrases
for the days in a week. Record yourself and submit a video or audio file of your performing this activity.
LESSON 3. Months of the Year
Month in Mandarin is“Yuè”. Saying the twelve Chinese Months is very easy. Place the Chinese
number 1 to 12 first, followed by the word Chinese month, “yuè”.

Months Translation
January Yīyuè
February Èryuè
March Sānyuè
April Sìyuè
May Wŭyuè
June Lìuyuè
July Qīyuè
August Bāyuè
September Jǐuyuè
October Shíyuè
November Shíyīyuè
December Shíèryuè

The following are some of the words and phrases helpful in learning months of the year.

Words/Phrases Translation Words/Phrases Translation

last month shàngge yuè the month before last qíange yuè
next month xìage yuè during the month of ____ zài ____ yuè yǐnèi
this month zhèige yuè since the month of ____ cóng ____ yuè kāishǐ
two months ago lǐangge yuè yǐqían every month měige yuè
in two months lǐangge yuè yǐhòu What is today’s date? Jīntīan jǐhào?
the month after next xìaxìage yuè Today is _____ Jīntīan shì

Activity 2. Memorize the translation of the Months of the Year (January-December) and the common
words/phrases for the months of the year. Record yourself and submit a video or audio file of your performing
this activity.

LESSON 4. Year
Year in Chinese is “Nián”. We read the individual Chinese digits for Year in Chinese. The exception
is the year 2000 (and onwards) which we sometimes say it as a whole number (Year Two Thousand – see
below) instead of individual number “Èr líng líng líng nián”. If you want to say the Year in Chinese more
correctly, cite the four digits separately and you will never go wrong.

Year Translation
1815 Yī bā yī wǔ nián
1999 Yī jiǔ jiǔ jiǔ nián
2000 Liǎng qiān nián
2018 Èr líng yī bā nián
2050 Èr líng wǔ líng nián

 Beginning, Mid, End of the Month / Year in Chinese

Beginning of the Year Niántóu

Mid-Year Nián zhōng

End of the Year Nián wěi

 Beginning of the Month Yuè tóu

Mid-Month Yuè zhōng

End of the Month Yuè wěi

Note: When translating dates into Chinese follow this format, Year (nián) + Month (yuè) + Day (hào/rì)..

e.g. March 5, 1994 is translated as Yī jiǔ jiǔ sì nián Sān yuè Wŭ hào/rì

December 31, 2000 is translated as Lǐang líng líng líng nián Shíèr yuè Sānshíyī hào/rì

or Lǐang qīan nián Shíèr yuè Sānshíyī hào/rì

 For a concrete example and practice of days of the week click the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylY2qdgarIc