What Day Is It Today?（今天星期幾？— Jīntiān xīngqí jǐ?）

If you can ask 今天星期幾？ jīntiān xīngqí jǐ? you can survive a surprising amount of real life in Mandarin. Schedules, class plans, MRT meetups, office chats, and the classic “Wait… is that today or tomorrow?” disaster all start here.

In Taiwan, people often say 星期 xīngqī for the days of the week, and that is exactly what this lesson uses. Clean, practical, and very useful. No drama. Just the words you actually need when someone asks, “So, what day is it?”

By the end, you will know how to ask the question, answer it naturally, and use related phrases like “today,” “tomorrow,” and “this week” without sounding like you got lost in a calendar app.

The Main Question

The shortest answer is usually easiest: 今天星期幾？ jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?

And yes, 幾 jǐ is the “which / what number” word here. It is asking for a day number, not a deep philosophical calendar truth. Mandarin keeps it simple when it feels like it.

How To Answer

To answer, say 今天是星期一 jīntiān shì xīngqī yī or 今天是禮拜一 jīntiān shì lǐbài yī.

You can also hear 星期天 xīngqītiān for Sunday in some places, but in Taiwan, 星期日 xīngqīrì is very common and often sounds a bit more standard. Language loves having two doors into the same room.

Taiwan-Friendly Weekly Words

If you want a bigger map of the weekdays, take a look at Days Of The Week In Trad Chinese. It is the same calendar family, just with a little more room to stretch out.

The Days Of The Week

A small but useful note: in Mandarin, 星期一 xīngqī yī does not mean “week one” in a weird math way. It just means Monday. Your brain may protest at first. That is normal.

Useful Real-Life Phrases

Grammar Note: 是 In Day Questions

You may hear both 今天星期幾？ jīntiān xīngqī jǐ? and 今天是星期幾？ jīntiān shì xīngqī jǐ?

Both are correct. The version with 是 shì can feel a little more complete, like your sentence has put on its work shoes. The version without 是 is shorter and very common in casual speech.

Yak wisdom: In Mandarin, sometimes the shortest sentence is the most natural one. English likes extra glue. Mandarin often says, “No thanks, I’m good.”

Useful Nuances And Common Confusions

• 星期 xīngqī and 禮拜 lǐbài both mean “week” in weekday expressions.
• In Taiwan, 禮拜幾？ lǐbài jǐ? is very common in daily speech.
• 星期日 xīngqīrì is standard and common for Sunday.
• 星期天 xīngqītiān is also heard, but it is a bit more casual.
• 週 zhōu is often used for “this week,” “next week,” and “last week.”
• 幾 jǐ asks for a number, so it fits weekdays because each day has a number-like name.
• Do not confuse 今天星期幾？ with 今天幾號？ jīntiān jǐ hào? The first asks the day of the week. The second asks the date.
• If someone says 禮拜五 lǐbài wǔ, they mean Friday, not “five weeks.” Mandarin is doing its best.

Practice Time

Try these quick drills. Short, simple, and far less painful than looking at a calendar in panic.

Mini challenge: say the whole week out loud once, then answer with your own schedule.

• 今天是星期一，我要上班。 Jīntiān shì xīngqī yī, wǒ yào shàngbān. Today is Monday, and I have to work.
• 今天是星期三，我有中文課。 Jīntiān shì xīngqī sān, wǒ yǒu Zhōngwén kè. Today is Wednesday, and I have Chinese class.
• 今天是星期五，晚上去夜市。 Jīntiān shì xīngqī wǔ, wǎnshàng qù yèshì. Today is Friday, and we are going to the night market tonight.
• 今天是星期日，我想休息。 Jīntiān shì xīngqī rì, wǒ xiǎng xiūxi. Today is Sunday, and I want to rest.

Common Mistakes And Fixes

One more tiny note: 一 yī can change tone in some contexts, but in weekday names it is usually taught simply as yī with the first tone. Keep it steady and move on with your life.

Quick Reference Summary

• 今天星期幾？ Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ? = What day is it today?
• 今天禮拜幾？ Jīntiān lǐbài jǐ? = Taiwan-casual way to ask the same thing
• 今天是星期五。 Jīntiān shì xīngqī wǔ. = Today is Friday.
• 今天是禮拜五。 Jīntiān shì lǐbài wǔ. = Casual Taiwan-style Friday
• 今天幾號？ Jīntiān jǐ hào? = What is the date today?
• 星期日 xīngqīrì = Sunday
• 禮拜 lǐbài = week; common in Taiwan daily speech
• 這週 zhè zhōu = this week
• 下週 xià zhōu = next week
• 上週 shàng zhōu = last week

If you want to check your wider Traditional Chinese skills, try the Traditional Chinese Vocabulary Test or the Traditional Chinese Placement Test TOCFL. Very official-looking. Almost suspiciously so.

For a bigger learning path, the learn-japanese pillar page is there too, because language learners tend to wander. Respectfully. Constantly.

Yak takeaway: If you remember only one thing, make it this: 今天星期幾？ jīntiān xīngqī jǐ? asks the day, and 今天幾號？ jīntiān jǐ hào? asks the date. Keep those two apart, and your calendar stops being rude.