曜日(ようび)

USAGE:
曜日(ようび) is both a stand-alone noun meaning 'day of the week' as a category, and the suffix that turns one of the seven element kanji into a weekday name. The element kanji takes its on'yomi before it, so the seven names are formed regularly and only need to be learned once.

DAYS OF THE WEEK:

• 日曜日(にちようび) (Sunday) - 日(にち) = sun
• 月曜日(げつようび) (Monday) - 月(げつ) = moon
• 火曜日(かようび) (Tuesday) - 火(か) = fire
• 水曜日(すいようび) (Wednesday) - 水(すい) = water
• 木曜日(もくようび) (Thursday) - 木(もく) = wood
• 金曜日(きんようび) (Friday) - 金(きん) = gold/metal
• 土曜日(どようび) (Saturday) - 土(ど) = earth

SHORTENED FORM:
In timetables, TV listings, store signs, and casual speech, the final 日(び) is often dropped: 火曜(かよう) for 火曜日(かようび), 水曜(すいよう) for 水曜日(すいようび), and so on. The short form is normal in writing and in speech among friends, but the full form with 日(び) is always safe and is what learners should use by default.

COMMON QUESTIONS:

• 何(なん)曜日(ようび)？ (What day?)
• 今日(きょう)は何(なん)曜日(ようび)？ (What day is today?)

RELATED TIME WORDS:
週(しゅう) (week), 平日(へいじつ) (weekday), 週末(しゅうまつ) (weekend).