Japanese Days of the Week: Names, Kanji, and Tips
The Japanese days of the week follow a beautiful pattern based on seven classical elements: the sun, the moon, and five elements from Chinese philosophy. Once you see the logic behind them, the kanji become easy to remember and you'll never mix them up again.
The Seven Days of the Week
Each day is named with a kanji element plus 曜日 (youbi), which means "day of the week."
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 日曜日 | にちようび | nichiyoubi | Sunday (Sun day) |
| 月曜日 | げつようび | getsuyoubi | Monday (Moon day) |
| 火曜日 | かようび | kayoubi | Tuesday (Fire day) |
| 水曜日 | すいようび | suiyoubi | Wednesday (Water day) |
| 木曜日 | もくようび | mokuyoubi | Thursday (Wood day) |
| 金曜日 | きんようび | kin'youbi | Friday (Metal/Gold day) |
| 土曜日 | どようび | doyoubi | Saturday (Earth day) |
The Elemental Origins of Each Day
日 (nichi/hi) means sun. Sunday is the day of the sun.
月 (getsu/tsuki) means moon. Monday is the moon day.
火 (ka/hi) means fire. Tuesday carries the fire element.
水 (sui/mizu) means water. Wednesday is the water day.
木 (moku/ki) means wood or tree. Thursday is wood day.
金 (kin/kana) means metal or gold. Friday is the metal day.
土 (do/tsuchi) means earth or soil. Saturday is earth day.
These same elements appear all over the Japanese language, so learning them here gives you a head start on a lot of other vocabulary.
Memory Tricks for the Days
The suffix is always the same. Every day ends in 曜日 (youbi). Once you know the element, you've got the day. Practice saying the element kanji out loud — 日、月、火、水、木、金、土 — and the days follow naturally.
Think about the English parallels. Tuesday comes from Tyr (Norse god of war, associated with fire). Wednesday is Woden's day (linked to water and wisdom). Thursday is Thor's day (Thor's hammer, metal). The elemental logic isn't so different from European day names.
金曜日 (Friday) is the gold day. A lot of learners find this one easy to remember because TGIF energy is universal. Friday is gold. That tracks.
Note on kanji readings: 日 can be read as nichi or hi (or ka in some compounds). 月 can be getsu or tsuki. These alternate readings are normal in Japanese — the day-of-the-week readings use the on'yomi (Chinese-derived) reading in most cases.
Shortcuts: Abbreviated Day Names
In casual writing, calendars, and schedules, the days are often shortened to just the element kanji plus 曜 or just the element alone.
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 日 | にち | nichi | Sun. (abbreviation for Sunday) |
| 月 | げつ | getsu | Mon. (abbreviation for Monday) |
| 火 | か | ka | Tue. (abbreviation for Tuesday) |
| 水 | すい | sui | Wed. (abbreviation for Wednesday) |
| 木 | もく | moku | Thu. (abbreviation for Thursday) |
| 金 | きん | kin | Fri. (abbreviation for Friday) |
| 土 | ど | do | Sat. (abbreviation for Saturday) |
Useful Scheduling Phrases
Once you know the days, these phrases let you make plans, ask about schedules, and talk about when things happen.
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 今日は何曜日ですか | きょうはなんようびですか | kyou wa nan'youbi desu ka | What day of the week is it today? |
| 月曜日に会いましょう | げつようびにあいましょう | getsuyoubi ni aimashou | Let's meet on Monday |
| 毎週金曜日 | まいしゅうきんようび | maishuu kin'youbi | Every Friday |
| 来週の水曜日 | らいしゅうのすいようび | raishuu no suiyoubi | Next Wednesday |
| 先週の木曜日 | せんしゅうのもくようび | senshuu no mokuyoubi | Last Thursday |
| 土日 | どにち | do-nichi | The weekend (Saturday and Sunday) |
| 平日 | へいじつ | heijitsu | Weekday (Monday through Friday) |
Making Plans Using Days of the Week
Here's a natural example of how days come up in conversation:
来週の金曜日、空いてる？一緒に映画を見に行かない？
Raishuu no kin'youbi, aiteru? Issho ni eiga wo mi ni ikanai?
"Are you free next Friday? Want to go see a movie together?"
Questions About Japanese Days of the Week
Does the Japanese week start on Sunday or Monday?
In Japan, calendars typically start on Sunday, so the week order is: 日 (Sun), 月 (Mon), 火 (Tue), 水 (Wed), 木 (Thu), 金 (Fri), 土 (Sat). However, many modern apps and planners use Monday as the start of the week.
Are there holidays in Japan based on days of the week?
Yes. Japan has a concept called furikae kyuujitsu (substitute holiday) where if a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday instead. Also, the third Monday of certain months is a holiday (like Respect for the Aged Day in September).
What is dosoku and how does it relate to Saturday?
土曜 (doyou) refers to Saturday specifically. The kanji 土 (earth/soil) in this context comes from the element system, not from any special cultural association with Saturdays. Though it is worth noting that 土 appears in words related to the ground and construction in Japanese.
How do I say weekend in Japanese?
The most common word is 週末 (shuumatsu), which literally means "end of the week." You can also say 土日 (do-nichi, Saturday and Sunday) when referring to a specific weekend.
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