Mandarin TempleCome for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
日期 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
日期rìqīdateHSK 4, t, 16 strokes, rank #3934, Medium
rìqī(ri4qi1)ri qi T4
  1. 1date
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

日期rìqī(ri4qi1)

日期 refers to the specific day of the month in the calendar system. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as scheduling events, writing letters, and specifying deadlines. Understanding how to use this term is essential for navigating daily life in a Chinese-speaking environment.

Strokes16Frequency#3934DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the specific date can hold significant importance, especially in relation to festivals, family gatherings, and business dealings. For instance, the Lunar New Year date varies each year and is crucial for celebrations.

Memory tip

Think of 日期 as '日' (sun) and '期' (period). Imagine the sun shining on a calendar period, illuminating the exact date. The pronunciation 'ri4 qi1' can be remembered by picturing the 'ri' as the sun rising on a new day, marking a fresh date.

Meanings of 日期

rìqī(ri4qi1)
1date
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 日期 means.

About 日期

日期Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#3934Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 日期

JasonAmy

Podcast: 日期

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 日期

Quick Contrast

日期 (rìqī) vs 时间 (shíjiān) — use 日期 when referring specifically to a calendar date, while 时间 denotes a more general concept of time.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 日期 with 时候 (shíhòu), which refers to a time period rather than a specific date. It's commonly used in both formal documents and casual conversation. Remember to use the correct measure word 个 (gè) when counting dates.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 日期 connects to other time-related vocabulary like 星期 (xīngqī - week) and 年 (nián - year). Focus on practicing how to ask and discuss dates in various contexts, such as making plans or setting appointments.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 日期 when referring to time, leading to confusion. For example, saying '我想知道你的日期' (Wǒ xiǎng zhīdào nǐ de rìqī - I want to know your date) when they actually mean 'time' is incorrect. Instead, use '时间' (shíjiān) for time.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 日期

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 日期, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 日期 to you

Let me explain 日期 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 日期 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 日期?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 日期 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component characters

日rìsun
HSK 14 strokes日
View full entry
期qīperiod
HSK 412 strokes月
View full entry

How to say date in Chinese

“date” in Chinese is日期rìqī

日期 refers to the specific day of the month in the calendar system. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as scheduling events, writing letters, and specifying deadlines. Understanding how to use this term is essential for navigating daily life in a Chinese-speaking environment.

When to use 日期

Be careful not to confuse 日期 with 时候 (shíhòu), which refers to a time period rather than a specific date. It's commonly used in both formal documents and casual conversation. Remember to use the correct measure word 个 (gè) when counting dates.

日期 or something close to it

日期 (rìqī) vs 时间 (shíjiān) — use 日期 when referring specifically to a calendar date, while 时间 denotes a more general concept of time.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 日期 when referring to time, leading to confusion. For example, saying '我想知道你的日期' (Wǒ xiǎng zhīdào nǐ de rìqī - I want to know your date) when they actually mean 'time' is incorrect. Instead, use '时间' (shíjiān) for time.

Write 日期

日
期

Practice writing 日期 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 日期

日期 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

超市将于节____间举行优惠活动，至于详细情况，可上网查看。

The supermarket will hold promotional events during the holiday; as for details, you can check online.

Example sentences for 日期 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
卡翁达总统兑现了他的承诺，宣布了全民公决的日期。

kǎ wēng dá zǒngtǒng duìxiàn le tā de chéngnuò， xuānbù le quán mín gōng jué de rìqī。

President Kaunda fulfilled his promise of announcing a date for the referendum.
2
选举日期必须提前两个月。

xuǎnjǔ rìqī bìxū tíqián liǎng gè yuè。

The election date had to be brought forward by two months.
3
我们从未商定好日期。

wǒmen cóngwèi Shāng dìng hǎo rìqī。

We never agreed a date.
4
截止日期之后报名参赛的人将不予考虑。

jiézhǐ rìqī zhīhòu bàomíng cānsài de rén jiāng bùyǔ kǎolǜ。

Any entry arriving after the closing date will not be considered.
5
约定的日期没到，你不能把钱要回去。

yuēdìng de rìqī méi dào， nǐ bù néng bǎ qián yào huíqù。

You cannot ask for your money back before the agreed date.
6
乐队已把去利兹的日期提前至10月27号。

yuèduì yǐ bǎ qù lì zī de rìqī tíqián zhì10 yuè27 hào。

The band have moved forward their Leeds date to October
7
登记表显示他的出生日期是1979年8月2号。

dēngjì biǎo xiǎnshì tā de chūshēng rìqī shì1979 nián8 yuè2 hào。

The registration form showed his date of birth as August 2,
8
老些的机器需要下载软件补丁来修改日期。

lǎo xiē de jīqì xūyào xiàzài ruǎnjiàn bǔ Dīng lái xiūgǎi rìqī。

Older machines will need a software patch to be loaded to correct the date.
9
比赛本应另择日期。

bǐsài běn yìng lìng zé rìqī。

The competition should have been rescheduled for a later date.
10
检查员很尽职地在一本大红册子上记下了日期。

jiǎnchá yuán hěn jìn zhí dì zài yī běn dà hóng cè zi shàng jì xià le rìqī。

The inspector dutifully recorded the date in a large red book.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 日期?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Frequently asked questions about 日期

You can say '今天是几号？' (Jīntiān shì jǐ hào?), which means 'What date is it today?'.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 日期?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab