Japanese Days of the Week｜Todaimae Japanese

Days of the Week in Japanese

One of the easiest things to mix up as a beginner is how to say Monday through Sunday in Japanese! Unlike Chinese, which uses numbers (星期一, 星期二), Japan kept the ancient Chinese “seven luminaries” calendar, using the sun, moon, and the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—for the seven days of the week. How can you remember 「何曜日」 without pure rote memorization? Todaimae has put together a complete chart and exclusive memory tips so you can get the hang of it in one minute!

Pronunciation Chart Yōbi Game Challenge Free Resource Downloads

Learn Japanese Days of the Week with GeGe

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Japanese Days of the Week – Video Lesson

Handy “Five Elements” Memory Tips

Many learners find 月火水木金土日 hard to remember, but a little association makes them stick:

日 and 月 (Sunday and Monday): These are the easiest—Sunday matches the sun (日), and Monday matches the moon (Monday / Moon).

火 (Tuesday): Tuesday is the busiest workday—you’re “on fire” with frustration!

水 (Wednesday): You’ve made it halfway through the week—drink some “water,” relax, and get ready for the second half.

木 (Thursday): The weekend is near, and your mood is like a “tree” starting to branch out as you look forward to time off.

金 (Friday): Happy Friday! Friday night is the golden time to go out and spend some “gold” (money)!

土 (Saturday): On weekends, get outdoors, connect with nature, and relax with your feet on the “earth.”

Useful Everyday Examples: Making Plans and Talking About Work

Once you know the words, you need to use them! Here are some of the most common day-of-the-week patterns for daily life:

1A: 今日は何曜日ですか？ (What day is it today?)

1B: 今日は木曜日です。(Today is Thursday.)

2: 月曜日から金曜日まで働きます。(I work from Monday to Friday.)

3: 日曜日に日本語を勉強します。(I study Japanese on Sunday.)

Days of the Week in Japanese (drag each day to the correct position)

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Days of the Week in Japanese – Chart

Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Chinese	English
何曜日	なんようび	nanyoobi	星期幾?	What Day?
日曜日	にちようび	nichiyoobi	星期日	Sunday
月曜日	げつようび	getsuyoobi	星期一	Monday
火曜日	かようび	kayoobi	星期二	Tuesday
水曜日	すいようび	suiyoobi	星期三	Wednesday
木曜日	もくようび	mokuyoobi	星期四	Thursday
金曜日	きんようび	kinyoobi	星期五	Friday
土曜日	どようび	doyoobi	星期六	Saturday

Free Resource Downloads

Love the GeGe and five-elements designs? Download the free HD phone wallpapers and flashcards now! Glance at your phone every day and you’ll pick up the Japanese days of the week without even trying.