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Names of the days of the week
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Many languages name the seven days of the week after the classical planets of Hellenistic astronomy, a system introduced by the Sumerians and later adopted by the Babylonians and Romans. The seven-day week was adopted from the Hebrew calendar in early Christianity, replacing the Roman internundinum. Sunday is traditionally considered the first day, linked to the sun god Sol Invictus and the Lord's Day, while the Jewish Sabbath remains the seventh. Standard ISO 8601 treats Monday as the first day, though many countries regard it as the second.

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Days named after planets

Greco-Roman tradition

Further information: Week and Planetary hours

Between the first and third centuries CE, the Roman Empire gradually replaced the eight-day Roman nundinal cycle with the seven-day week. The earliest evidence for this new system is a Pompeiian graffito referring to 6 February (ante diem viii idus Februarias) of the year 60 CE as dies solis ("Sunday").3 Another early witness is a reference to a lost treatise by Plutarch, written in about 100 CE, which addressed the question of: "Why are the days named after the planets reckoned in a different order from the 'actual' order?"4 The treatise is lost, but the answer to the question is known; see planetary hours.

The Ptolemaic system of planetary spheres asserts that the order of the heavenly bodies from the farthest to the closest to the Earth is Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon; objectively, the planets are ordered from slowest to fastest moving as they appear in the night sky.5

The days were named after the classical planets of Hellenistic astrology, in the order: Sun (Helios), Moon (Selene), Mars (Ares), Mercury (Hermes), Jupiter (Zeus), Venus (Aphrodite), and Saturn (Cronus).6

The seven-day week spread throughout the Roman Empire in late antiquity. By the fourth century CE, it was in wide use throughout the Empire.

The Greek and Latin names are as follows:

Day:(see Irregularities)SundaySōl or Helios (Sun)MondayLuna or Selene (Moon)TuesdayMars or Ares(Mars)WednesdayMercurius or Hermes(Mercury)ThursdayJove or Zeus (Jupiter)FridayVenus or Aphrodite (Venus)SaturdaySaturnus or Cronus(Saturn)
Greek7ἡμέρα Ἡλίουhēméra Hēlíouἡμέρα Σελήνηςhēméra Selḗnēsἡμέρα Ἄρεωςhēméra Áreōsἡμέρα Ἑρμοῦhēméra Hermoûἡμέρα Διόςhēméra Diósἡμέρα Ἀφροδίτηςhēméra Aphrodítēsἡμέρα Κρόνουhēméra Krónou
Latindiēs Sōlisdiēs Lūnaediēs Mārtisdiēs Mercuriīdiēs Iovisdiēs Venerisdiēs Sāturnī

Romance languages

Except for in Portuguese and Mirandese, the Romance languages preserved the Latin names, except for the names of Sunday, which was replaced by [dies] Dominicus (Dominica), that is, "the Lord's Day", and of Saturday, which was named for the Jewish Sabbath. Mirandese and Portuguese use numbered weekdays, but retain sábado and demingo/domingo for weekends.8 Meanwhile, Galician occasionally uses them alongside the traditional Latin-derived names, albeit to a lesser extent (see below).

Day(see Irregularities)SundaySōl (Sun)MondayLuna (Moon)TuesdayMars (Mars)WednesdayMercurius (Mercury)ThursdayJove (Jupiter)FridayVenus (Venus)SaturdaySaturnus (Saturn)
Portuguesedomingo [☉1]segunda-feiraterça-feiraquarta-feiraquinta-feirasexta-feirasábado [♄1]
Galiciandomingo [☉1]luns / segunda feiramartes / terza feira / terceira feiramércores / corta feira / cuarta feiraxoves / quinta feiravenres / sexta feirasábado [♄1]
Asturiandomingu [☉1]llunesmartesmiércolesxuevesvienressábadu [♄1]
Spanishdomingo [☉1]lunesmartesmiércolesjuevesviernessábado [♄1]
Aragonesedomenche [☉1]lunsmarzmiercreschueusviernessabado [♄1]
Occitandimenge [☉1]dilunsdimarsdimècresdijòusdivendresdissabte [♄1]
Aranese Occitandimenge [☉1]delunsdimarsdimèrclesdijausdiuendresdissabte [♄1]
Catalandiumenge [☉1]dillunsdimartsdimecresdijousdivendresdissabte [♄1]
Frenchdimanche [☉1]lundimardimercredijeudivendredisamedi [♄1]
Italiandomenica [☉1]lunedìmartedìmercoledìgiovedìvenerdìsabato [♄1]
Lombard (Milanese)domenega [☉1]lunedìmartedìmercoldìgiovedìvenerdìsabet [♄1]
Lombard (Bresciano)duminica [☉1]lunedémartedémercoldégioedévenerdésabot [♄1]
Liguriandoménga [☉1]lunedìmâtesdìmâcordìzéuggiavenardìsàbbo [♄1]
Neapolitandummeneca [☉1]lunnerìmarterìmiercurìgioverìviernarìsàbbatu [♄1]
Siciliandumìnica [☉1]lunimartimèrcurijovivènnirisàbbatu [♄1]
Corsicandumenica [☉1]lunimartimàrcurighjovivènnarisàbatu [♄1]
Romanianduminică [☉1]lunimarțimiercurijoivinerisâmbătă [♄1]
Venetiandomenega [☉1]lunimartimèrcorezobiavénaresabo [♄1]
Sardiniandomíniga,domiga,etc.9lunismartis,maltismélcuris,mércunis,etc.10gióbia,gioja,etc.11chenàbura,cenarva,etc.12sàpadu,sàuru,etc.13
Friuliandomenie [☉1]lunismartarsmiercusjoibevinarssabide [♄1]
Val Badia Ladindomënialönescmertesc,dedolönescmercui,dedemesaledemajöbiavëndressabeda
Gherdëina Ladindumënialunescmerdimierculdijuebiavënderdisada
Puter Romanshdumengialündeschdimardimarculdigövgiavenderdisanda
Vallader Romanshdumengialündeschdimardimarcurdigövgiavenderdisonda
Surmiran Romanshdumengiaglindesdemardemesemdagievgiavenderdesonda
Rumantsch Grischundumengiaglindesdimardimesemnagievgiavenderdisonda
Sursilvan Romanshdumengiagliendisdismardismesjamnagievgiavenderdissonda
Sutsilvan Romanshdumeingiagliendasgismargismeaseandagievgiavendargissonda

Celtic languages

Early Old Irish adopted the names from Latin, but introduced separate terms of Norse origin for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, then later supplanted these with terms relating to church fasting practices.

Day(see Irregularities)SundaySōl (Sun)MondayLuna (Moon)TuesdayMars (Mars)WednesdayMercurius (Mercury)ThursdayIuppiter (Jupiter)FridayVenus (Venus)SaturdaySaturnus (Saturn)
Old Irish14Diu15 srolDies scrol16Diu luna17Diu mart18Diu iath19Diu eathamon20Diu triach21Diu saturn
Old Irish (later)Diu domnicaDiu lunaDiu martDiu cétaín [☿2]Diu eter dib aínib [♃1]Diu aíne [♀1]Diu saturn
IrishAn Domhnach [☉1] Dé DomhnaighAn LuanDé LuainAn MháirtDé MáirtAn Chéadaoin [☿2]Dé CéadaoinAn Déardaoin [♃1]DéardaoinAn Aoine [♀1]Dé hAoineAn SatharnDé Sathairn
Scottish Gaelic22Didòmhnaich [☉1] orLatha/Là na SàbaidDiluainDimàirtDiciadain [☿2]Diardaoin [♃1]Dihaoine [♀1]Disathairne
ManxJedoonee [☉1]JeluneJemayrtJecrean [☿2]Jerdein [♃1]Jeheiney [♀1]Jesarn
Welshdydd Suldydd Llundydd Mawrthdydd Mercherdydd Iaudydd Gwenerdydd Sadwrn
CornishDy' SulDy' LunDy' MeurthDy' MergherDy' YowDy' GwenerDy' Sadorn
BretonDisulDilunDimeurzhDimerc'herDiriaouDigwenerDisadorn

Albanian language

Albanian adopted the Latin terms for Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, translated the Latin terms for Sunday and Monday using the native names of Diell and Hënë, respectively, and replaced the Latin terms for Thursday and Friday with the equivalent native deity names Enji and Prende, respectively.23

Day:SundaySōl (Sun)MondayLuna (Moon)TuesdayMars (Mars)WednesdayMercurius (Mercury)ThursdayIuppiter (Jupiter)FridayVenus (Venus)SaturdaySaturnus (Saturn)
Albaniane diele hënëe martëe mërkurëe enjtee premtee shtunë

Adoptions from Romance

Other languages adopted the week together with the Latin (Romance) names for the days of the week in the colonial period. Several constructed languages also adopted the Latin terminology.

Day:(see Irregularities)SundaySōl (Sun)MondayLuna (Moon)TuesdayMars (Mars)WednesdayMercurius (Mercury)ThursdayIuppiter (Jupiter)FridayVenus (Venus)SaturdaySaturnus (Saturn)
FilipinoLinggó [☉1]LunesMartesMiyerkolesHuwebes or colloquially WebesBiyernesSabado [♄1]
ChamorroDamenggoLunesMattesMetkolesHuebesBetnesSabalu
Māori24Rā Tapu [not celestially named] (rā + tapu = "holy day")Rāhina (rā + Māhina = day + Moon)Rātū (rā + Tūmatauenga = day + Mars)Rāapa (rā + Apārangi = day + Mercury)Rāpare (rā + Pareārau = day + Jupiter)Rāmere (rā + Mere = day + Venus)[Rā Horoi] [not celestially named] (rā + horoi = "washing day")
UropiSoldiaLundiaMardiaMididiaZusdiaWendiaSabadia
Universalglotdiodailundaimardaierdaijovdaivendaisamdai
NeoDomin(ko)LundoTudMirkoJovVensoSab
Idiom Neutralsoldilundimarsdimerkurdiyovdivendrdisaturndi
Reform-Neutralsoldílundímarsdímercurdíjovdívendredísaturndí
ApI Interlinguasol-dieluna-diemarte-diemercurio-diejove-dievenere-diesabbato, saturno-die
Interlinguadominica [☉1]lunedimartedimercuridijovedivenerdisabbato [♄1]
Interlinguesoledílunedímardímercurdíjovedívenerdísaturdí
Lingua Franca Novasoldilundimartedimercurdijovedivenerdisaturdi
Mondialsoldilundimardimierdijodivendisamdi
INTALsundilundimardimerkurdijodivenerdisaturdi
Novialsundielundiemardiemercurdie, merkurdie (older)jodievenerdiesaturdie
RomániçoDomínicoLun-dioMarti-dioMercurii-dioJov-dioVéner-dioSábato
Idosundiolundiomardiomerkurdiojovdiovenerdiosaturdio
Esperantodimanĉo [☉1]lundomardomerkredoĵaŭdovendredosabato [♄1]

With the exception of sabato, the Esperanto names are all from French, cf. French dimanche, lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi.

Germanic tradition

Further information: Germanic calendar

The Germanic peoples adapted the system introduced by the Romans by substituting the Germanic deities for the Roman ones (with the exception of Saturday) in a process known as interpretatio germanica. The date of the introduction of this system is not known exactly, but it must have happened later than 100 AD but before the introduction of Christianity during the 6th to 7th centuries, i.e., during the final phase or soon after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.25 This period is later than the Common Germanic stage, but still during the phase of undifferentiated West Germanic. The names of the days of the week in North Germanic languages were not calqued from Latin directly, but taken from the West Germanic names.

  • Sunday: Old English Sunnandæg (pronounced [ˈsunnɑndæj]), meaning "sun's day". This is a translation of the Latin phrase diēs Sōlis. English, like most of the Germanic languages, preserves the day's association with the sun. Many other European languages, including all of the Romance languages, have changed its name to the equivalent of "the Lord's day" (based on Ecclesiastical Latin dies Dominica). In both West Germanic and North Germanic mythology, the Sun is personified as Sunna/Sól.
  • Monday: Old English Mōnandæg (pronounced [ˈmoːnɑndæj]), meaning "Moon's day". This is equivalent to the Latin name diēs Lūnae. In North Germanic mythology, the Moon is personified as Máni.
  • Tuesday: Old English Tīwesdæg (pronounced [ˈtiːwezdæj]), meaning "Tiw's day". Tiw (Norse Týr) was a one-handed god associated with single combat and pledges in Norse mythology and also attested prominently in wider Germanic paganism. The name of the day is also related to the Latin name diēs Mārtis, "Day of Mars" (the Roman god of war).
  • Wednesday: Old English Wōdnesdæg (pronounced [ˈwoːdnezdæj]) meaning the day of the Germanic god Woden (known as Óðinn among the North Germanic peoples), and a prominent god of the Anglo-Saxons (and other Germanic peoples) in England until about the seventh century. This corresponds to the Latin counterpart diēs Mercuriī, "Day of Mercury", as both are deities of magic and knowledge. The German Mittwoch, the Low German Middeweek, the miðviku- in Icelandic miðvikudagur and the Finnish keskiviikko all mean "mid-week".
  • Thursday: Old English Þūnresdæg (pronounced [ˈθuːnrezdæj]), meaning 'Þunor's day'. Þunor means thunder or its personification, the Norse god known in Modern English as Thor. Similarly Dutch donderdag, German Donnerstag ('thunder's day'), Finnish torstai, and Scandinavian torsdag ('Thor's day'). "Thor's day" corresponds to Latin diēs Iovis, "day of Jupiter" (the Roman god of thunder).
  • Friday: Old English Frīgedæg (pronounced [ˈfriːjedæj]), meaning the day of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Frīg. The Norse name for the planet Venus was Friggjarstjarna, 'Frigg's star'.26 It is based on the Latin diēs Veneris, "Day of Venus".
  • Saturday: named after the Roman god Saturn associated with the Titan Cronus, father of Zeus and many Olympians. Its original Anglo-Saxon rendering was Sæturnesdæg (pronounced [ˈsæturnezdæj]). In Latin, it was diēs Sāturnī, "Day of Saturn". The Nordic laugardagur, leygardagur, laurdag, etc. deviate significantly as they have no reference to either the Norse or the Roman pantheon; they derive from Old Nordic laugardagr, literally "washing-day". The German Sonnabend (mainly used in northern and eastern Germany) and the Low German Sünnavend mean "Sunday Eve"; the German word Samstag derives from the name for Shabbat.
Day:(see Irregularities)SundaySunna/SólMondayMona/MániTuesdayTiw/TyrWednesdayWoden/OdinThursdayThunor/ThorFridayFrige or FreyaSaturdaySaturn
Old EnglishSunnandægMōnandægTīwesdægWōdnesdægÞunresdægFrīgedægSæternesdæg
Old SaxonSunnundag*Mānundag*Tiuwesdag *Thingesdag[♂1]Wōdanesdag*ThunaresdagFrīadag*Sunnunāƀand,[♄3] *Satarnesdag
Old High GermanSunnûntagMânetagZîestagWuotanestagDonarestagFrîjatagSunnûnâband,[♄3] Sambaztag[♄1]
Middle Low GermanSunnedagManedagDingesdag [♂1]WodenesdagDonersdagVrīdagSunnenavend,[♄3] Satersdag
GermanSonntagMontagDienstag,[♂1] Ziestag (Alemannic German)Mittwoch[☿1] (older Wutenstag)DonnerstagFreitagSamstag,[♄1] Sonnabend,[♄3] (in parts of Eastern Germany)
YiddishZuntik – זונטיקMontik – מאנטיקDinstik – דינסטיק[♂1]Mitvokh – מיטוואך[☿1]Donershtik – דאנערשטיקFraytik – פרײַטיקShabbes – שבת[♄1]
LuxembourgishSonndegMéindegDënschdeg[♂1]Mëttwoch[☿1]DonneschdegFreidegSamschdeg[♄1]
ScotsSaubath,[♄1] SundayMonandayTysdayWadensdayFuirsdayFridaySeturday
Dutchzondagmaandagdinsdag[♂1]woensdagdonderdagvrijdagzaterdag
AfrikaansSondagMaandagDinsdag[♂1]WoensdagDonderdagVrydagSaterdag
Low GermanSünndagMaandagDingsdag[♂1]Middeweek,[☿1] Goonsdag (rarely Woonsdag)DünnerdagFreedagSünnavend,[♄3] Saterdag
West Frisiansneinmoandeitiisdeiwoansdeitongersdeifreedsneon,[♄3] saterdei
Saterland FrisianSundaiMoundaiTäisdaiMiddewíekTuunsdaiFräindaiSnäivende, Sneeuwende
Heligoland North FrisianSendaiMundaiTaisdaiMeddeweekenTünnersdaiFraidaiSenin
Amrum/FöhrNorth Frisiansöndaimundaiteisdaiwäärnsdei (Amrum), weedensdai (Föhr)süürsdai (Amrum), tüürsdai (Föhr)freidaisöninj-er, saninj-er
Sylt North FrisianSendaiMondaiTiisdaiWinjsdaiTürsdaiFriidaiSeninj-en
Wiedingharde North Frisiansändäimundäi, moondaitee(s)däi-ewjinsdäitördäi-e, türdai-efraidäisänjin-e
Mooring North Frisiansaandimounditäisdiweensditörsdifraidisaneene
Karrharde North Frisiansandäimoundäitäi(er)sdäiweene(s)dai, weensdaitönersdäifräidäisaneene
Northern Goesharde North Frisiansaandi (Ockholm), sandi (Langenhorn)moondi (Ockholm), moundi (Langenhorn)teesdi (Ockholm), täisdi (Langenhorn)weensdi (Ockholm), winsdi (Langenhorn)tünersdifraidisaneene
Halligen North Frisiansondiimööndiitaisdiimaaderwichtonersdiifraidiisoneene
Icelandicsunnudagurmánudagurþriðjudagur[♂3]miðvikudagur[☿1]fimmtudagur[♃3]föstudagur[♀1]laugardagur[♄2]
Old Norsesunnudagrmánadagrtysdagróðinsdagrþórsdagrfrjádagrlaugardagr,[♄2] sunnunótt[♄3]
Faroesesunnudagurmánadagurtýsdagurmikudagur,[☿1] ónsdagur (Suðuroy)hósdagur, tórsdagur (Suðuroy)fríggjadagurleygardagur[♄2]
Nynorsk Norwegiansundag/søndagmåndagtysdagonsdagtorsdagfredaglaurdag[♄2]
Bokmål Norwegiansøndagmandagtirsdagonsdagtorsdagfredaglørdag[♄2]
Danishsøndagmandagtirsdagonsdagtorsdagfredaglørdag[♄2]
Swedishsöndagmåndagtisdagonsdagtorsdagfredaglördag[♄2]
Elfdaliansunndagmondagtisdagųosdagtųosdagfrjådaglovdag

Adoptions from Germanic

Day(see Irregularities)SundaySunna/SólMondayMona/MániTuesdayTiw/TyrWednesdayWoden/OdinThursdayThunor/ThorFridayFrige or FreyaSaturdaySaturn
Finnishsunnuntaimaanantaitiistaikeskiviikko[☿1]torstaiperjantailauantai[♄2]
Meänkielipyhä(päivä), sunnuntaimaanantaitiistaikeskiviikkotuorestaiperjantailau(v)antai
Kvenpyhä, sunnuntaimaanantaitiistaikeskiviikkotuorestaiperjantailauvantai
Southern Samiaejlegemåantadæjstagaskevåhkoeduarstabearjadahkelaav(v)adahke
Ume Samiájliegemánnuodahkkadïjstahkkagasskavahkkuoduarastahkkabierjiedahkkalávvuodahkka
Pite Samiájlekmánnodakdijstakgasskavahkoduorasdakbärrjedaklávvodak
Lule Samisådnåbiejvve, ájllekmánnodahkadijstahkagasskavahkkoduorastahkabierjjedahkalávvodahka
Northern Samisotnabeaivivuossárga, mánnodatmaŋŋebárga, disdatgaskavahkkuduorastatbearjadatlávvardat, lávvordat
Inari Samipasepeivivuossargâmajebargâkoskokkotuorâstâh, turâstâhvástuppeivilávárdâh, lávurdâh
Skolt Sami (for comparison)pâʹsspeiʹvvvuõssarggmââibarggseäradneljdpeiʹvvpiâtnâc, väʹšnnpeiʹvv, västtpeiʹvvsueʹvet
Māori (transliteration; translation)Wiki;[☉8] RātapuMane; RāhinaTūrei; RātūWenerei; RāapaTāite; RāpareParaire; RāmereHāterei; Rāhoroi
Volapüksudelmudeltudelvedeldödelfridelzädel

Hindu tradition

Further information: Navagraha

Hindu astrology uses the concept of days under the regency of a planet under the term vāsara/vāra, the days of the week being called sūrya-/ravi-/āditya, chandra-/soma-, maṅgala-, budha-, guru-/bṛhaspati-, śukra-, and śani-vāsara. śukrá is a name of Venus (regarded as a son of Bhṛgu); guru is here a title of Bṛhaspati, and hence of Jupiter; budha "Mercury" is regarded as a son of Soma, that is, the Moon.27 Knowledge of Greek astrology existed since about the 2nd century BC, but references to the vāsara occur somewhat later, during the Gupta period (Yājñavalkya Smṛti, c. 3rd to 5th century AD), that is, at roughly the same period or before the system was introduced in the Roman Empire.

In languages of the Indian subcontinent

Sunday the Sun(Sūrya, Ravi, Bhānu)Monday the Moon (Chandra, Indu, Soma)TuesdayMars(Mangala)WednesdayMercury(Budha)ThursdayJupiter(Bṛhaspati, Guru)Friday Venus(Shukra)Saturday Saturn(Shani)
Angika𑂉𑂞𑂥𑂰𑂩/𑂩𑂸𑂥Etbaar/Rôb𑂮𑂷𑂧𑂰𑂩Somaar𑂧𑂁𑂏𑂪Mangal𑂥𑂳𑂡Budh𑂥𑂹𑂩𑂵𑂮𑂹𑂣𑂞Brespat𑂮𑂳𑂍𑂹𑂍𑂳𑂩Sukkur𑂮𑂢𑂱𑂒𑂹𑂒𑂩Sanichchar
Assameseদেওবাৰ/ৰবিবাৰDeubar/RobibarসোমবাৰXombarমঙ্গলবাৰMonggolbarবুধবাৰBudhbarবৃহস্পতিবাৰBrihôshpotibarশুক্রবাৰXukrobarশনিবাৰXonibar
BaltiAdeed عدیدTsandarچَندار Angaru انگارو Botu بوتو Brespod بریس پود Shugoru شوگوروShingsher شنگشر
Bengaliরবিবার/সূর্যবারRobibar/Śurjobarসোমবার/চন্দ্রবারŚōmbar/Chandrabārমঙ্গলবারMoṅgolbarবুধবারBudhbarবৃহস্পতিবার/গুরুবারBrihośpotibar/Gurubārশুক্রবার/জুম্মাবারŚukrobar/Jummabar[♀4]শনিবারŚonibar
BhojpuriएतवारAitwārसोमारSomārमंगरMangarबुधBudhबियफेBi'pheyसुक्कSukkसनिच्चरSanichchar
BurushaskiAdit اَدِتTsandurah ژَندُرَہAngāro اَنگاروBodo بودو Birēspat بِریسپَتShukro شُکروShimshēr شِمشیر
Chitrali(Khowar)Yakshambey یک شمبےDoshambey دو شمبے[☽4]Seshambey سہ شمبےCharshambey چار شمبےPachambey پچھمبے Adina آدینہ [♀3]Shambey شمبے
Gujaratiરવિવાર Ravivārસોમવાર Somvārમંગળવાર Mangaḷvārબુધવાર Budhvārગુરૂવાર Guruvārશુક્રવાર Shukravārશનિવાર Shanivār
Hindiरविवार/सूर्यवारRavivār/Sūryavārसोमवार/चन्द्रवारSomvār/ChandravārमंगलवारMangalvārबुधवारBudhavārगुरुवारGuruvārशुक्रवारShukravārशनिवारShanivār
HindkoAtwaar اتوارSuwar سؤ وارMungal منگلBud بدھJumiraat جمعراتJummah جمعہKhali خالي
HmarPathienniThawṭanniThawleniNilainiNinganiZirtawpniInrinni
KannadaಭಾನುವಾರBhanu VaaraಸೋಮವಾರSoma VaaraಮಂಗಳವಾರMangala VaaraಬುಧವಾರBudha VaaraಗುರುವಾರGuru Vaaraಶುಕ್ರವಾರShukra VaaraಶನಿವಾರShani Vaara
Kashmiriآتھوار /aːtʰwaːr/ژٔنٛدرٕوار /t͡səndrɨwaːr/بوموار/ بۄنٛوار /boːmwaːr/ or /bɔ̃waːr/بۄدوار /bɔdwaːr/برَٛسوار/ برٛؠسوار /braswaːr/ or /brʲaswaːr/شۆکُروار/ جُمعہ /ʃokurwaːr/ or /jumaːh/بَٹہٕ وار /baʈɨwaːr/
KonkaniआयतारĀytārसोमारSomaarमंगळारMangaḷārबुधवारBudhavārभीरेस्तारBhirestārशुक्रारShukrārशेनवारShenvār
Maithili𑒩𑒫𑒱𑒠𑒱𑒢Ravidin𑒮𑒼𑒧𑒠𑒱𑒢Somdin𑒧𑓀𑒑𑒪𑒠𑒱𑒢Maṅgaldin𑒥𑒳𑒡𑒠𑒱𑒢Budhdin𑒥𑒵𑒯𑒮𑓂𑒣𑒞𑒲𑒠𑒱𑒢Brihaspatidin𑒬𑒳𑒏𑓂𑒩𑒠𑒱𑒢Śukradin𑒬𑒢𑒲𑒠𑒱𑒢Śanidin
Malayalamഞായര്‍ Nhāyarതിങ്കള്‍ Tingalചൊവ്വ Chovvaബുധന്‍ Budhanവ്യാഴം Vyāzhamവെള്ളി Velliശനി Shani
Maldivianއާދީއްތަ Aadheeththaހޯމަ Hoamaއަންގާރަ Angaaraބުދަ Budhaބުރާސްފަތި Buraasfathiހުކުރު Hukuruހޮނިހިރު Honihiru
MarathiरविवारRavivārसोमवारSomavārमंगळवारMangaḷavārबुधवारBudhavārगुरूवारGuruvārशुक्रवारShukravārशनिवारShanivār
Meitei (Manipuri)ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯏꯖꯤꯡNongmaijingꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧꯀꯥꯕNingthoukabaꯂꯩꯄꯥꯛꯄꯣꯛꯄLeipakpokpaꯌꯨꯝꯁꯀꯩꯁYumsakeisaꯁꯒꯣꯜꯁꯦꯟSagolsenꯏꯔꯥꯢEeraiꯊꯥꯡꯖThangja
NepaliआइतवारAaitabarसोमवारSombarमंगलवारMangalbarबुधवारBudhabarबिहिवारBihibarशुक्रवारSukrabarशनिवारSanibar
OdiaରବିବାରRabibāraସୋମବାରSomabāraମଙ୍ଗଳବାରMaṅgaḷabāraବୁଧବାରBudhabāraଗୁରୁବାରGurubāraଶୁକ୍ରବାରSukrabāraଶନିବାରSanibāra
PashtoEtwarيونۍGulدوه نۍNehiدرېنۍShoroڅلرنۍZiaratپنځه نۍJummaجمعهKhaliپيلنۍ
Punjabi(Gurmukhi)ਐਤਵਾਰAitvārਸੋਮਵਾਰSōmvārਮੰਗਲਵਾਰMangalvārਬੁੱਧਵਾਰBuddhvārਵੀਰਵਾਰVīrvārਸ਼ੁੱਕਰਵਾਰShukkarvār or ਜੁਮਾ Jumāਸ਼ਨਿੱਚਰਵਾਰShaniccharvār

or ਸ਼ਨੀਵਾਰShanīvār or ਸਨਿੱਚਰਵਾਰSaniccharvār or ਸਨੀਵਾਰSanīvār

Punjabi(Shahmukhi)Aitwār ایتوارSomvār سوموارMangalvār منگلوارBuddhvār بدھوارVīr vārویر وارJumāh جمعہ or

Shukkarvār شکروار

Hafta ہفتہ or

Chanicchar چھنچھر or

Chaniccharvār چھنچھروار

Rohingyarooibarcómbarmongolbarbuidbarbicíbbarcúkkurbarcónibar
Santaliᱥᱤᱸᱜᱮ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱸsim̐ge māhām̐ᱚᱛᱮ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱸate māhām̐ᱵᱟᱞᱮ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱸbāle māhām̐ᱥᱟᱹᱜᱩᱱ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱸsôgun māhām̐ᱥᱟᱹᱨᱫᱤ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱸsôrdi māhām̐ᱡᱟᱹᱨᱩᱢ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱸjôrum māhām̐ᱧᱩᱦᱩᱢ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱸñuhum māhām̐
SanskritभानुवासरBhānuvāsaraइन्दुवासरInduvāsaraभौमवासरBhaumavāsaraसौम्यवासरSaumyavāsaraगुरुवासरGuruvāsaraभृगुवासरBhṛguvāsaraस्थिरवासरSthiravāsara
SaurashtraAitārSomārMonglārBudhārBestārSukrārSenmār
ShinaAdit ادیتTsunduro تساند ورؤUngaro نگاروBudo بوڈوBrespat بیرے سپاٹShukur شوکرShimsher شیم شےر
SindhiĀcharuآچَرُ or Ārtvāru آرتوارُ‎SūmaruسُومَرُAngāroاَنڱارو or Mangalu مَنگلُArbāاَربع or Budharu ٻُڌَرُKhamīsaخَميِسَ or Vispati وِسپَتِ‎Jum'oجُمعو or Shukru شُڪرُChancharuڇَنڇَرُ or Śanscharu شَنسچَرُ
Sinhalaඉරිදා Iridaසඳුදා Sandudaඅඟහරුවාදා Angaharuwadaබදාදා Badadaබ්‍රහස්පතින්දා Brahaspathindaසිකුරාදා Sikuradaසෙනසුරාදා Senasurada
Sylhetiꠞꠂꠛ꠆ꠛꠣꠞ Roibbarꠡꠝ꠆ꠛꠣꠞ Shombarꠝꠋꠉꠟ꠆ꠛꠣꠞ Mongolbarꠛꠥꠗ꠆ꠛꠣꠞ Budhbarꠛꠤꠡꠥꠗ꠆ꠛꠣꠞ Bishudhbarꠡꠥꠇ꠆ꠇꠥꠞ꠆ꠛꠣꠞ/ꠎꠥꠝ꠆ꠝꠣꠛꠣꠞ Shukkurbar/Jummabar[♀4]ꠡꠘꠤꠛꠣꠞ Shonibar
Tamilஞாயிறு Ñāyiṟuதிங்கள் Tiṅkaḷசெவ்வாய் Cevvāyபுதன் Putaṉவியாழன் Viyāḻaṉவெள்ளி Veḷḷiசனி Caṉi
Teluguఆదివారం Aadi Vāramసోమవారం Soma VāramమంగళవారంMangala VāramబుధవారంBudha VāramగురువారంGuru Vāramశుక్రవారంSukra VāramశనివారంSani Vāram
UrduItwār اتوارPīr پیر[☽4]Mangal منگلBudh بدھJumerāt جمعراتJum'ah جمعہ[♀4]Haftah ہفتہ [♄6]

Southeast Asian languages

The Southeast Asian tradition also uses the Hindu names of the days of the week. Hindu astrology adopted the concept of days under the regency of a planet under the term vāra, the days of the week being called āditya-, soma-, maṅgala-, budha-, guru-, śukra-, and śani-vāra. śukrá is a name of Venus (regarded as a son of Bhṛgu); guru is here a title of Bṛhaspati, and hence of Jupiter; budha "Mercury" is regarded as a son of Soma, that is, the Moon.28

Sunday the Sun(Aditya, Ravi)Monday the Moon (Soma, Chandra, Indu)TuesdayMars(Mangala, Angaraka)WednesdayMercury(Budha)ThursdayJupiter(Bṛhaspati, Guru)Friday Venus(Shukra)Saturday Saturn(Shani)
Burmeseတနင်္ဂနွေ[☉9] IPA: [tənɪ̀ɰ̃ ɡənwè](ta.nangga.new)တနင်္လာ[☽5] IPA: [tənɪ̀ɰ̃ là](ta.nangla)အင်္ဂါIPA: [ɪ̀ɰ̃ ɡà](Angga)ဗုဒ္ဓဟူးIPA: [boʊʔ dəhú](Buddhahu)(afternoon=new day)ရာဟုRahuကြာသာပတေးIPA: [tɕà ðà bədé](Krasapate)သောကြာIPA: [θaʊʔ tɕà](Saukra)စနေIPA: [sənè](Cane)
Monတ္ၚဲ အဒိုတ်[ŋoa ətɜ̀t]from Sans. ādityaတ္ၚဲ စန်[ŋoa cɔn]from Sans. candraတ္ၚဲ အၚါ[ŋoa əŋɛ̀a]from Sans. aṅgāraတ္ၚဲ ဗုဒ္ဓဝါ[ŋoa pùt-həwɛ̀a]from Sans. budhavāraတ္ၚဲ ဗြဴဗ္တိ[ŋoa pɹɛ̀apətɔeʔ]from Sans. bṛhaspatiတ္ၚဲ သိုက်.[ŋoa sak]from Sans. śukraတ္ၚဲ သ္ၚိ သဝ်[ŋoa hɔeʔ sɔ]from Sans. śani
Khmerថ្ងៃអាទិត្យ[tŋaj ʔaːtɨt]ថ្ងៃចន្ទ[tŋaj can]ថ្ងៃអង្គារ[tŋaj ʔɑŋkiə]ថ្ងៃពុធ[tŋaj put]ថ្ងៃព្រហស្បត្ណិ[tŋaj prɔhoə̯h]ថ្ងៃសុក្រ[tŋaj sok]ថ្ងៃសៅរ៍[tŋaj saʋ]
Laoວັນອາທິດ[wán ʔàːtʰīt]ວັນຈັນ[wán càn]ວັນອັງຄານ[wán ʔàŋkʰáːn]ວັນພຸດ[wán pʰūt]ວັນພະຫັດ[wán pʰāhát]ວັນສຸກ[wán súk]ວັນເສົາ[wán sǎu]
ChamAditThômAngarButjipSukThanưchăn
Shanဝၼ်းဢႃတိတ်ႉIPA: [wan˦ ʔaː˩ tit˥]ဝၼ်းၸၼ်IPA: [wan˦ tsan˩]ဝၼ်းဢင်းၵၼ်းIPA: [wan˦ ʔaŋ˦ kan˦]ဝၼ်းၽုတ်ႉIPA: [wan˦ pʰut˥]ဝၼ်းၽတ်းIPA: [wan˦ pʰat˦]ဝၼ်းသုၵ်းIPA: [wan˦ sʰuk˦]ဝၼ်းသဝ်IPA: [wan˦ sʰaw˩]
Thaiวันอาทิตย์ Wan Āthitวันจันทร์ Wan ChanวันอังคารWan Angkhānวันพุธ Wan Phutวันพฤหัสบดี Wan Phruehatsabodiวันศุกร์ Wan Sukวันเสาร์ Wan Sao
Javaneseꦫꦢꦶꦠꦾ Radityaꦱꦺꦴꦩ Somaꦲꦁꦒꦫ Anggaraꦧꦸꦢ Budaꦉꦱ꧀ꦥꦠꦶ Respatiꦱꦸꦏꦿ Sukraꦠꦸꦩ꧀ꦥꦼꦏ꧀ Tumpek
Balineseᬋᬤᬶᬢᬾ Reditéᬲᭀᬫ Somaᬳᬂᬕᬭ Anggaraᬩᬸᬤ Budaᬯ᭄ᬭᭂᬲ᭄ᬧᬢᬶ Wrespatiᬲᬸᬓ᭄ᬭ Sukraᬲᬦᬶᬲ᭄ᬘᬭ Saniscara
Sundaneseᮛᮓᮤᮒᮦ

Radité

ᮞᮧᮙ Somaᮃᮀᮌᮛ Anggaraᮘᮥᮓ Budaᮛᮨᮞ᮪ᮕᮒᮤ Respatiᮞᮥᮊᮢ Sukraᮒᮥᮙ᮪ᮕᮨᮊ᮪ Tumpek
Toba BatakArtiaSumaAnggaraMudaBoraspatiSingkoraSamisara
Angkola-Mandailing BatakAritaSumaAnggaraMudaBoraspatiSikkoraSamisara
Simalungun BatakAditiaSumaAnggaraMudahaBoraspatiSihoraSamisara
Karo BatakAditiaSumaNggaraBudahaBeraspatiCukraBelah Naik
Pakpak BatakAntiaSumaAnggaraBudaha/MudaBeraspatiCukerraBelah Naik

Northeast Asian languages

Sunday the Sun(Aditya, Ravi)Monday the Moon (Soma, Chandra, Indu)TuesdayMars(Mangala, Angāraka)WednesdayMercury(Budha)ThursdayJupiter(Bṛhaspati, Guru)Friday Venus(Shukra)Saturday Saturn(Shani)
Mongolianадъяа ad'yaaсумъяа sum'yaaангараг angaragбуд budбархабадь barhabad'сугар sugarсанчир sanchir
Kalmykадъян өдр ad'yan ödrсумъян өдр sum'yan ödrмингъян өдр ming'yan ödrбудан өдр budan ödrгуръян өдр gur'yan ödrшикрян өдр shikr'yan ödrшанун өдр shanun ödr

East Asian tradition

The East Asian naming system for the days of the week closely parallels that of the Latin system and is ordered after the "Seven Luminaries" (七曜 qī yào), which consists of the Sun, Moon and the five classical planets visible to the naked eye.

The Chinese had apparently adopted the seven-day week from the Hellenistic system by the 4th century AD, although by which route is not entirely clear. It was again transmitted to China in the 8th century AD by Manichaeans, via the country of Kang (a Central Asian polity near Samarkand).29 The 4th-century AD date, according to the Cihai encyclopedia,[year needed] is due to a reference to Fan Ning (范寧), an astrologer of the Jin dynasty. The renewed adoption from Manichaeans in the 8th century AD (Tang dynasty) is documented with the writings of the Chinese Buddhist monk Yijing and the Ceylonese Buddhist monk Bu Kong.

The Chinese transliteration of the planetary system was soon brought to Japan by the Japanese monk Kobo Daishi; surviving diaries of the Japanese statesman Fujiwara no Michinaga show the seven-day system in use in Heian Period Japan as early as 1007. In Japan, the seven-day system was kept in use (for astrological purposes) until its promotion to a full-fledged (Western-style) calendrical basis during the Meiji era. In China, with the founding of the Republic of China in 1911, Monday through Saturday in China are now named after the luminaries implicitly with the numbers.

For Standard Chinese nomenclature of the days of the week, see § Days numbered from Monday.

For more information on the Chinese ten-day week, see Chinese calendar.

For more information on the five elements and their relation to the planets, see Chinese astrology and Wuxing (Chinese philosophy).

Pronunciations for Classical Chinese names are given in Standard Chinese.
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
Celestial ObjectSun (日) First Star – Sun (太陽星)Moon (月) Second Star – Moon (太陰星)Mars (火星) Third Star – Fire (熒惑星)Mercury (水星) Fourth Star – Water (辰星)Jupiter (木星) Fifth Star – Wood (歲星)Venus (金星) Sixth Star – Metal or Gold (太白星)Saturn (土星) Seventh Star – Earth or Soil (鎮星)
Chinese日曜日Rìyàorì月曜日Yuèyàorì火曜日Huǒyàorì水曜日Shuǐyàorì木曜日Mùyàorì金曜日Jīnyàorì土曜日Tǔyàorì
Japanese日曜日Nichiyōbi月曜日Getsuyōbi火曜日Kayōbi水曜日Suiyōbi木曜日Mokuyōbi金曜日Kin'yōbi土曜日Doyōbi
Korean일요일日曜日Iryoil월요일月曜日Woryoil화요일火曜日Hwayoil수요일水曜日Suyoil목요일木曜日Mogyoil금요일金曜日Geumyoil토요일土曜日Toyoil
Mongolianнаран өдөр naraŋ ödörсаран өдөр saraŋ ödörгал өдөр gal ödörусан өдөр usaŋ ödörмодон өдөр modoŋ ödörтөмөр өдөр, алтан өдөр tömör ödör, altaŋ ödörшороон өдөр shorooŋ ödör
Mongolian (Transliteration from Tibetan)ням nyamдаваа davaaмягмар myagmarлхагва lhagvaпүрэв pürevбаасан baasanбямба byamba
Tibetanགཟའ་ཉི་མ།(gza' nyi ma)Nyimaགཟའ་ཟླ་བ།(gza' zla wa)Dawaགཟའ་མིག་དམར།(gza' mig dmar)Mikmarགཟའ་ལྷག་པ།(gza' lhak pa)Lhakpaགཟའ་ཕུར་བུ།(gza' phur bu)Purbuགཟའ་པ་སངས།(gza' pa sangs)Pasangགཟའ་སྤེན་པ།(gza' spen ba)Penba

Numbered days of the week

Days numbered from Monday

ISO prescribes Monday as the first day of the week with ISO-8601 for software date formats.

The Slavic, Baltic and Uralic languages (except Finnish and partially Estonian and Võro) adopted numbering but took Monday rather than Sunday as the "first day".30 This convention is also found in some Austronesian languages whose speakers were converted to Christianity by European missionaries.31

In Slavic languages, some of the names correspond to numerals after Sunday: compare Russian vtornik (вторник) "Tuesday" and vtoroj (второй) "the second", chetverg (четверг) "Thursday" and chetvjortyj (четвёртый) "the fourth", pyatnitsa (пятница) "Friday" and pyatyj (пятый) "the fifth"; see also the Notes.

DayNumber From OneMondayDay OneTuesdayDay TwoWednesdayDay ThreeThursdayDay FourFridayDay FiveSaturdayDay SixSundayDay Seven
ISO 8601 #1234567
Russianпонедельник ponedel'nik [☽1]вторник vtornik [♂5]среда sreda [☿1]четверг chetverg [♃4]пятница pyatnitsa [♀5]суббота subbota [♄1]воскресенье voskresen'ye [☉3]
Belarusianпанядзелак panyadzelak [☽1]аўторак awtorak [♂5]серада serada [☿1]чацвер chats'ver [♃4]пятніца pyatnitsa [♀5]субота subota [♄1]нядзеля nyadzelya [☉6]
Ukrainianпонедiлок ponedilok [☽1]вiвторок vivtorok [♂5]середа sereda [☿1]четвер chetver [♃4]п'ятниця p'yatnytsya [♀5]субота subota [♄1]недiля nedilya [☉6]
Lemko Rusynпонедільок ponedilyokвіторок vitorok [♂5]середа seredaчетвер chetverпятниця pyatnîtsyaсубота subotaнеділя nedilya
Prešov Rusynпонедїлёк ponedyilyokвівторок vivtorok [♂5]середа seredaчетверь chetver'пятніця pyatnitsyaсубота subotaнедїля nedyilya
Pannonian Rusynпондзелок pondzelokвовторок vovtorok [♂5]стрeдa stredaштвaртoк shtvartokпияток piyatokсoбoтa sobotaнєдзеля nyedzelya
Slovakpondelok [☽1]utorok [♂5]streda [☿1]štvrtok [♃4]piatok [♀5]sobota [♄1]nedeľa [☉6]
Czechpondělí [☽1]úterý [♂5]středa [☿1]čtvrtek [♃4]pátek [♀5]sobota [♄1]neděle [☉6]
Upper Sorbianpóndźela [☽1]wutora [♂5]srjeda [☿1]štwórtk [♃4]pjatk [♀5]sobota [♄1]njedźela [☉6]
Lower Sorbianpónjeźela, pónjeźelewałtora [♂5]srjodastwórtkpětksobotanjeźela, njeźelka
Polishponiedziałek [☽1]wtorek [♂5]środa [☿1]czwartek [♃4]piątek [♀5]sobota [♄1]niedziela [☉6]
Kashubianpòniedzôłkwtórkstrzodaczwiôrtkpiątksobòtaniedzela
Sloveneponedeljek [☽1]torek [♂5]sreda [☿1]četrtek [♃4]petek [♀5]sobota [♄1]nedelja [☉6]
Burgenland Croatianpandiljak, ponediljakutorak [♂5]srijedačetvrtakpetaksubotanedilja
Serbo-Croatian (Ijekavian/Ekavian/Ikavian)ponedjeljak, понедјељак [☽1]utorak, уторак [♂5]srijeda, сриједа [☿1]četvrtak, четвртак [♃4]petak, петак [♀5]subota, субота [♄1]nedjelja, недјеља [☉6]
понедељак, ponedeljak [☽1]среда, sreda [☿1]недеља, nedelja [☉6]
ponediljak, понедилјак [☽1]srida, срида [☿1]nedilja, недилја [☉6]
Macedonianпонеделник ponedelnik [☽1]вторник vtornik [♂5]среда sreda [☿1]четврток chetvrtok [♃4]петок petok [♀5]сабота sabota [♄1]недела nedela [☉6]
Bulgarianпонеделник ponedelnik [☽1]вторник vtornik [♂5]сряда sryada [☿1]четвъртък chetvărtăk [♃4]петък petăk [♀5]събота săbota [♄1]неделя nedelya [☉6]
Interslavicponedělok, понедєлок [☽1]vtorok, второк [♂5]srěda, срєда [☿1]četvrtok, четврток [♃4]petok, петок [♀5]subota, субота [♄1]nedělja, недєлја [☉6]
Lithuanianpirmadienisantradienistrečiadienisketvirtadienispenktadienis [♀5]šeštadienissekmadienis
Latvianpirmdienaotrdienatrešdienaceturtdiena [♃4]piektdiena [♀5]sestdienasvētdiena
Hungarianhétfő [☽3]kedd [♂2]szerda [☿1] Slaviccsütörtök [♃4] Slavicpéntek [♀5] Slavicszombat [♄1] Hebrewvasárnap [☉5]
Estonianesmaspäev [☽6]teisipäev [♂2]kolmapäev [☿3]neljapäev [♃4]reede [♀6]laupäev[♄2]pühapäev[☉2]
Võroiispäiv [☽6]tõõsõpäiv [♂2]kolmapäiv [☿3]nelläpäiv [♃4]riidi [♀6]puuľpäiv[♄8]pühäpäiv[☉2]
Mongolian (numerical)нэг дэх өдөр neg dekh ödörхоёр дахь өдөр hoyor dahi ödörгурав дахь өдөр gurav dahi ödörдөрөв дэх өдөр döröv dekh ödörтав дахь өдөр tav dahi ödörхагас сайн өдөр hagas sayn ödör [♄7]бүтэн сайн өдөр büten sayn ödör [☉7]
LuoWuok tichTich ariyoTich adekTich ang'uenTich abichChieng' ngesoJuma pil
Tok Pisin (Melanesian Pidgin)mandetundetrindefondefraidesareresande
Apma (Vanuatu)ren bwaleh / mande32ren karuren katsilren kavetren kalimlesaaresande
Sona (constructed language)enyodidoyoditinyodicayodipenyodixiodizunyodi

A number of Bantu languages have days numbered from Monday as an influence from Western missionaries. They brought along with them working days, e.g. in Setswana: Labobedi (the second working day - Tuesday), Laboraro (the third working day), Labone (the fourth working day), Labotlhano (the fifth working day). Sunday became known as the day of going to church when the iron (tshipi) bell rings, thus Latshipi.33

In Standard Chinese, the week is referred to as the "Stellar Period" (Chinese: 星期; pinyin: Xīngqī) or "Cycle" (simplified Chinese: 周; traditional Chinese: 週; pinyin: Zhōu).

The modern Chinese names for the days of the week are based on a simple numerical sequence. The word for "week" is followed by a number indicating the day: "Monday" is literally the "Stellar Period One"/"Cycle One", that is, the "First day of the Stellar Period/Cycle", etc. The exception is Sunday, where 日 (), "day" or "Sun", is used instead of a number.34 A slightly informal and colloquial variant to 日 is 天 (tiān) "day", "sky" or "heaven". However, the term 週天 is rarely used compared to 星期天.

Accordingly, the notational abbreviation of the days of the week uses the numbers, for example, 一 for "M" or "Mon(.)", "Monday". The abbreviation of Sunday uses exclusively 日 and not 天. Attempted usage of 天 as such will not be understood.

Colloquially, the week is also known as the "Worship" (simplified Chinese: 礼拜; traditional Chinese: 禮拜; pinyin: Lǐbài), with the names of the days of the week formed accordingly. This is also dominant in certain regional varieties of Chinese.

The following is a table of the Mandarin names of the days of the weeks. Note that standard Taiwan Mandarin pronounces 期 as , so 星期 is instead xīngqí. While all varieties of Mandarin may pronounce 星期 as xīngqi and 禮拜/礼拜 as lǐbai, the second syllable with the neutral tone, this is not reflected in the table either for legibility.

DayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Standard Modern Chinese星期一Xīngqīyī星期二Xīngqī'èr星期三Xīngqīsān星期四Xīngqīsì星期五Xīngqīwǔ星期六Xīngqīliù星期日/星期天Xīngqīrì (or Xīngqītiān)
週一Zhōuyī週二Zhōu'èr週三Zhōusān週四Zhōusì週五Zhōuwǔ週六Zhōuliù週日/週天Zhōurì (or Zhōutiān, rarely used)
Standard Modern Chinese (regional, informal, colloquial)禮拜一Lǐbàiyī禮拜二Lǐbài'èr禮拜三Lǐbàisān禮拜四Lǐbàisì禮拜五Lǐbàiwǔ禮拜六Lǐbàiliù禮拜天/禮拜日Lǐbàitiān (or Lǐbàirì)

Several Sinitic languages refer to Saturday as 週末 "end of the week" and Sunday as 禮拜. Examples include Shenyang Mandarin, Hanyuan Sichuanese Mandarin, Taishanese, Yudu Hakka, Teochew, Ningbonese, and Loudi Old Xiang. Some Hakka varieties in Taiwan still use the traditional Luminaries.

Days numbered from Sunday

Sunday comes first in order in calendars shown in the table below. In the Abrahamic tradition, the first day of the week is Sunday. Biblical Sabbath (corresponding to Saturday) is when God rested from six-day Creation, making the day following the Sabbath the first day of the week (corresponding to Sunday). Seventh-day Sabbaths were sanctified for celebration and rest. After the week was adopted in early Christianity, Sunday remained the first day of the week, but also gradually displaced Saturday as the day of celebration and rest, being considered the Lord's Day.

Saint Martin of Dumio (c. 520–580), archbishop of Braga, decided not to call days by pagan gods and to use ecclesiastic terminology to designate them. While the custom of numbering the days of the week was mostly prevalent in the Eastern Church, Portuguese and Mirandese, due to Martin's influence, are the only Romance languages in which the names of the days come from numbers rather than planetary names.

Members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) historically objected to the pagan etymologies of days and months and substituted numbering, beginning with First Day for Sunday.

Icelandic is a special case within the Germanic languages, maintaining only the Sun and Moon (sunnudagur and mánudagur respectively), while dispensing with the names of the explicitly heathen gods in favour of a combination of numbered days and days whose names are linked to pious or domestic routine (föstudagur, "Fasting Day" and laugardagur, "Washing Day"). The "washing day" is also used in other North Germanic languages, but otherwise the names correspond to those of English.

Day Number from OneSunday (Day One)Monday (Day Two)Tuesday (Day Three)Wednesday (Day Four)Thursday (Day Five)Friday (Day Six)Saturday (Day Seven)
Icelandicsunnudagurmánudagurþriðjudagurmiðvikudagur [☿1]fimmtudagurföstudagur [♀1]laugardagur [♄2]
Hebrewיום ראשון‎ yom rishonיום שני‎ yom sheyniיום שלישי‎ yom shlishiיום רביעי‎ yom revi'iיום חמישי‎ yom chamishiיום שישי‎ yom shishiשבת‎ Shabbat[♄1]
Ecclesiastical LatinDominica [☉1]feria secundaferia tertiaferia quartaferia quintaferia sextasabbatum [♄1]
Portuguesedomingo [☉1]segunda-feiraterça-feiraquarta-feiraquinta-feirasexta-feirasábado [♄1]
Galiciandomingo [☉1]segunda feiraterza feira terceira feiracorta feira quarta feiraquinta feirasexta feirasábado [♄1]
Mirandesedemingo [☉1]segunda-feiraterça-feiraquarta-feiraquinta-feirasesta-feirasábado [♄1]
Tetumloron-dominguloron-segundaloron-tersaloron-kuartaloron-kintaloron-sestaloron-sábadu
GreekΚυριακή Kyriakí [☉1]Δευτέρα DeftéraΤρίτη TrítiΤετάρτη TetártiΠέμπτη PémptiΠαρασκευή Paraskeví [♀2]Σάββατο Sávato [♄1]
Georgianკვირა k'vira [☉1]ორშაბათი oršabatiსამშაბათი samšabatiოთხშაბათი otxšabatiხუთშაბათი xutšabatiპარასკევი p'arask'evi [♀2]შაბათი šabati [♄1]
Western ArmenianԿիրակիGiragi [☉1]ԵրկուշաբթիYergushaptiԵրեքշաբթիYerekshaptiՉորեքշաբթիChorekshaptiՀինգշաբթիHinkshaptiՈւրբաթUrpat [♀2]ՇաբաթShapat [♄1]
Eastern Armenianկիրակիkiraki [☉1]երկուշաբթիyerkushapʰtʰiերեքշաբթիyerekʰshapʰtʰiչորեքշաբթիchʰorekʰshapʰtʰiհինգշաբթիhingshapʰtʰiուրբաթurpʰatʰ [♀2]շաբաթshapʰatʰ [♄1]
Vietnamesechủ nhật/chúa nhật [☉1]thứ haithứ bathứ tưthứ nămthứ sáuthứ bảy
Somali𐒖𐒄𐒖𐒆 Axad𐒘𐒈𐒒𐒕𐒒 Isniin𐒂𐒖𐒐𐒛𐒆𐒙 Talaado𐒖𐒇𐒁𐒖𐒋𐒙 Arbaco𐒅𐒖𐒑𐒕𐒈 Khamiis𐒃𐒘𐒑𐒋𐒙 Jimco𐒈𐒖𐒁𐒂𐒘 Sabti
Amharicእሑድ əhudሰኞ säññoማክሰኞ maksäññoረቡዕ räbu, ሮብ robሐሙስ hamusዓርብ arbቅዳሜ ḳədame
Arabicالأَحَد al-ʔaḥadالإثنين al-iṯnaynالثُّلَاثاء aṯ-ṯulāṯāʔالأَرْبعاء al-ʔarbiʕāʔالخَمِيسُ al-ḵamīsالجُمُعَة al-jumuʕah [♀4] (also الجُمْعَة al-jumʕah )السَّبْت as-sabt [♄5]
Malteseil-Ħaddit-Tnejnit-Tlietal-Erbgħail-Ħamisil-Ġimgħa [♀4]is-Sibt [♄5]
Malay(incl. Indonesian and Malaysian)Ahad or Minggu[☉1]Isnin or SeninSelasaRabuK(h)amisJuma(a)t [♀4]Sabtu [♄5]
JavaneseNgahad, Ngakad, Minggu[☉1]SenènSelasaReboKemisJemuwah [♀4]Setu [♄5]
SundaneseMinggu / Minggon [☉1]SenénSalasaReboKemisJumaah [♀4]Saptu [♄5]
Persianیکشنبه yekšanbeدوشنبه došanbeسه‌شنبه sešanbeچهارشنبه čāhāršanbeپنجشنبه panjšanbeآدینه or جمعه ādine [♀3] or djom'e [♀4]شنبه šanbe
KazakhЖексенбі JeksenbıДүйсенбі DüisenbıСейсенбі SeisenbıСәрсенбі SärsenbıБейсенбі BeisenbıЖұма JūmaСенбі Senbı
KarakalpakEkshembi yekşembıDúyshembi düişembıSiyshembi sişembıSárshembi särşembıPiyshembi pişembıJumа jūmaShembі şembı
TatarЯкшәмбе yakşämbeДүшәмбе düşämbeСишәмбе sişämbeЧәршәмбе çärşämbeПәнҗешәмбе pänceşämbeҖомга comgaШимбә şimbä
Khowarیک شمبے yak shambeyدو شمبے[☽4] du shambeyسہ شمبے sey shambeyچار شمبے char shambeyپچھمبے pachhambeyآدینہ[♀3] adinaشمبے
KurdishYekşemDuşemSêşemÇarşemPêncşemÎnŞemî
Uyghurيەكشەنبە, yekshenbeدۈشەنبە, düshenbeسەيشەنبە, seyshenbeچارشەنبە, charshenbeپەيشەنبە, peyshenbeyجۈمە, jümeشەنبە, shenbe
Old Turkicbirinç künikinç künüçünç küntörtinç künbeşinç künaltınç künyetinç kün
TurkishPazar [☉4]Pazartesi [☽2]Salı35Çarşamba36Perşembe37Cuma [♀4]Cumartesi [♄4]
AzerbaijaniBazarBazar ertəsiÇərşənbə axşamıÇərşənbəCümə axşamıCüməŞənbə
UzbekYakshanbaDushanbaSeshanbaChorshanbaPayshanbaJumaShanba
NavajoDamóo/Damíigo [☉1]Damóo BiiskáníDamóo dóó Naakiską́oDamóo dóó Tááʼ Yiską́oDamóo dóó Dį́į́ʼ Yiską́oNdaʼiinííshYiską́o Damóo

Days numbered from Saturday

In Swahili, the day begins at sunrise, unlike in the Arabic and Hebrew calendars where the day starts at sunset (therefore an offset of twelve hours on average), and unlike in the Western world where the day starts at midnight (therefore an offset of six hours on average). Saturday is therefore the first day of the week, as it is the day that includes the first night of the week in Arabic.

Etymologically speaking, Swahili has two "fifth" days. The words for Saturday through Wednesday contain the Bantu-derived Swahili words for "one" through "five". The word for Thursday, Alhamisi, is of Arabic origin and means "the fifth" (day). The word for Friday, Ijumaa, is also Arabic and means (day of) "gathering" for the Friday noon prayers in Islam.

DayNumber from OneSaturdayDay OneSundayDay TwoMondayDay ThreeTuesdayDay FourWednesdayDay FiveThursdayDay SixFridayDay Seven
Swahili38jumamosijumapilijumatatujumannejumatanoalhamisi [♃2]ijumaa [♀4]

Mixing of numbering and astronomy

In the Žejane dialect of Istro-Romanian, lur (Monday) and virer (Friday) follow the Latin convention, while utorek (Tuesday), sredu (Wednesday), and četrtok (Thursday) follow the Slavic convention.39

DayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Istro-Romanian, Žejane dialectlurutoreksredučetrtokvirersimbota [♄1]dumireca [☉1]

There are several systems in the different Basque dialects.40

DayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Standard Basque, Guipuscoan Basqueastelehena ("week-first")asteartea ("week-between")asteazkena ("week-last")osteguna ("Ortzi/Sky day")ostirala (see Ortzi)larunbata ("fourth", "meeting of friends"), neskenegun ("girls' day")igandea
Biscayne Basqueastelena ("week-first"), ilen ("Moon day")martitzena ("Mars day")eguaztena ("day last")eguena ("day of days", "day of light")barikua ("day without supper"), egubakotxzapatua (compare with Spanish sábado from Sabbath)domeka (from Latin Dominica [dies])

In Judaeo-Spanish (Ladino), which is mainly based on a medieval version of Spanish, the five days of Monday–Friday closely follow the Spanish names. For Sunday is used the Arabic name, which is based on numbering (meaning "Day one" or "First day"), because a Jewish language was not likely to adapt a name based on "Lord's Day" for Sunday. As in Spanish, the Ladino name for Saturday is based on Sabbath. However, as a Jewish language—and with Saturday being the actual day of rest in the Jewish community—Ladino directly adapted the Hebrew name, Shabbat.41

DaySundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
Judaeo-Spanish (Ladino)aljhad or alhadhlunesmartesmiércoles or mierkolesjuğeves or djuevesviernesshabat[♄1]

The days of the week in Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language) originated from the Sanamahi creation myth of Meitei mythology.42 43 44 45

Sunday the HillMonday King's ClimbTuesdayEarth's BirthWednesdayHouses BuiltThursdayHorses RodeFridayBlood FloodSaturdaySwords Washed
MeiteiNongmaichingNingthoukabaLeibakpokpaYumsakeisaSagonsenEeraiThangcha

See also

Notes

Sunday

☉1 Lord's Day – From Latin Dominicus (Dominica) or Greek Κυριακή (Kyriakí)

☉2 Holy Day and First-Day of the Week (Day of the Sun -> Light -> Resurrection -> Born again) (Christianity)

☉3 Resurrection (Christianity)

☉4 Bazaar Day

☉5 Market Day

☉6 No Work

☉7 Full good day

☉8 Borrowed from English week

☉9 From an Old Burmese word, not of Indic origin.

Monday

☽1 After No Work

☽2 After Bazaar

☽3 Head of Week

☽4 Master (as in Pir, because Muhammad was born on a Monday)

☽5 From an Old Burmese word, not of Indic origin.

☽6 First day of the week

Tuesday

♂1 Thing (Assembly), of which god Tyr/Ziu was the patron.

♂2 Second day of the week (cf. Hungarian kettő 'two')

♂3 Third day of the week.

♂4 From Arabic ath-Thalaathaaʼ 'third day'

♂5 From Proto-Slavic vъtorъ 'second'

Wednesday

☿1 Mid-week or Middle

☿2 The First Fast (Christianity)

☿3 Third day of the week

Thursday

♃1 The day between two fasts (An Dé idir dhá aoin, contracted to An Déardaoin) (Christianity)

♃2 Five (Arabic)

♃3 Fifth day of the week.

♃4 Fourth day of the week.

Friday

♀1 The Fast (Celtic) or Fasting Day (Icelandic) (Christianity)

♀2 Good Friday or Preparation (Christianity)

♀3 Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer)

♀4 Gathering/Assembly/Meeting (Islam) – in Malta with no Islamic connotations

♀5 Fifth day of the week

♀6 Borrowed from Germanic languages

Or canàbara, cenàbara, cenàbera, cenàbura, cenarba, chenàbara, chenabra, chenapra, chenàpura, chenarpa, chenàura, cianàbara, chenabura; meaning holy supper as preparation to the sabbathday(Saturday)

Saturday

♄1 Shabbat (Jewish and Christian Sabbath)

♄2 Wash or Bath day

♄3 Sun-eve (Eve of Sunday)

♄4 After the Gathering (Islam)

♄5 End of the Week (Arabic Sabt 'rest')

♄6 Week

♄7 Half good day

♄8 Half day

Notes

Further reading

References

  1. "What is the First Day of the Week?". https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/days/first-day-of-the-week.html

  2. Schaff, Philip (1884). History of the Christian Church Vol. III. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. p. 380. Retrieved 15 March 2019. https://archive.org/details/historychristia01schagoog

  3. Nerone Caesare Augusto Cosso Lentuol Cossil fil. Cos. VIII idus Febr(u)arius dies solis, luna XIIIIX nun(dinae) Cumis, V (idus Februarias) nun(dinae) Pompeis. Robert Hannah, "Time in Written Spaces", in: Peter Keegan, Gareth Sears, Ray Laurence (eds.), Written Space in the Latin West, 200 BC to 300 AD, A&C Black, 2013, p. 89. https://books.google.com/books?id=PeVLAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA89

  4. E. G. Richards, Mapping Time, the Calendar and History, Oxford 1999. p. 269

  5. Falk, Michael (19 March 1999). "Astronomical names for the days of the week". Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. 93 (1999–06): 122–133. Bibcode:1999JRASC..93..122F. /wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)

  6. "Days of the Week Meaning and Origin". Astrologyclub.org. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2016. http://astrologyclub.org/days-week-meaning-origin/

  7. Dio Cassius. Ῥωμαϊκὴ Ἱστορία. Book 37, Sections 16-19. English translation. http://www.poesialatina.it/_ns/Greek/testi/Cassius/Historiae_Romanae37.html

  8. "Days of the week in Portuguese". http://www.learn-portuguese-with-rafa.com/days-of-the-week-in-portuguese.html

  9. Or domigu, domingu, domínica, dominica, domínigu, dumínica, dumíniga.

  10. Or mércuis, mérculis, mércuris.

  11. Or gióvia, zóbia, giògia, zògia.

  12. Or canàbara, cenàbara, cenàbera, cenàbura, cenarba, chenàbara, chenabra, chenapra, chenàpura, chenarpa, chenàura, cianàbara.

  13. Or sàbadu, sàbudu, sàburu, sàpatu.

  14. replacing a system of n "one-, three-, five-, ten-, or fifteen-day periods" (>Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, 2003, p. 7). MS. 17 (now held at St. John's College, Oxford), dating at least from 1043, records five-week-day lists, which it names as follows: secundum Hebreos (according to the Hebrews); secundum antiquos gentiles (according to the ancient gentiles, i.e., Romans); secundum Siluestrum papam (according to Pope Sylvester I, i.e., a list derived from the apocryphal Acta Syluestri); secundum Anglos (according to the English); secundum Scottos (according to the Irish). /wiki/D%C3%A1ibh%C3%AD_%C3%93_Cr%C3%B3in%C3%ADn

  15. "we have a clear reflex of the Indo-European nominative singular, with a lengthened grade, giving archaic Old Irish diu; it is suggested that what we have in the Oxford list and in Cormac's Glossary is the oldest form of Old Irish dia, representing the old nominative case of the noun in adverbial usage." Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, 2003, p. 12 /wiki/Old_Irish

  16. The word scrol is glossed in Sanas Cormaic as Scroll .i. soillsi, unde est aput Scottos diu srol.i. dies solis "Srcoll, that is brightness, whence 'diu srol' among the Irish, that is Sunday". /wiki/Sanas_Cormaic

  17. Ó Cróinín has Diu luna as "represent[ing] the transitional form between Latin dies lunae and the later, Classical Old Irish dia luain ... a translation of, not a calque on, the Latin ... [It] would seem to reflect a pre-assimilation state in respect of both words," Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, 2003, p. 13 /wiki/Latin

  18. "The Irish word perhaps derives from Latin forms where cases other than the genitive were used, e.g., Marte."Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, 2003, p. 15 /wiki/Genitive_case

  19. A form unique to Irish, meaning uncertain. In Old Irish, íath can mean "land." A "very old" word for Wednesday, Mercúir (borrowed from the Latin (dies) Mercurii), does occur in early Leinster poems but Ó Cróinín is of the belief that Diu eathamon "reflects a still older Irish word for 'Wednesday.'" /wiki/Leinster

  20. A form unique to Irish. Ó Cróinín writes, "I suggest that it means simply 'on Thursday' ... it is temporal dat. of an n-stem (nom. sg. etham, gen. sg. ethamon – as in our Oxford list – and acc./dat. sg. ethamain)." (2003, p. 17) He furthermore suggests that etham ('arable land') "may be a noun of agency from ith (gen. sg. etho), with a meaning like corn-maker or some such thing; Diu eathamon might then be a day for sowing seed in a weekly regimen of activities such as we find in Críth Gablach." Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, 2003, p. 17. The form Ethomuin is found in Rawlinson B 502. /wiki/Dative_case

  21. A form unique to Irish, its meaning unclear.

  22. https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/SQA-Gaelic_Orthographic_Conventions-En-e.pdf, p. 17. https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/SQA-Gaelic_Orthographic_Conventions-En-e.pdf

  23. Koch, Harold (2015). "Patterns in the diffusion of nomenclature systems: Australian subsections in comparison to European days of the week". In Dag T.T. Haug (ed.). Historical Linguistics 2013: Selected papers from the 21st International Conference on Historical Linguistics, Oslo, 5-9 August 2013. Current Issues in Linguistic Theory. Vol. 334. With the assistance of: Eiríkur Kristjánsson. John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 113–114. ISBN 978-90-272-6818-1. 978-90-272-6818-1

  24. Boyce, Mary (July 1995). "Languages in contact I: Creating new words for Maori". New Zealand Studies. 5 (2). doi:10.26686/jnzs.v5i2.473. https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/jnzs/article/view/473/383

  25. Grimm, Jacob (2004). Teutonic Mythology. Courier Corporation. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-0-486-43546-6. 978-0-486-43546-6

  26. "friggjarstjarna". Dictionary of Old Norse Prose. University of Copenhagen. Retrieved 8 July 2021. https://onp.ku.dk/onp/onp.php?o23978

  27. Monier-Williams, Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), s.v. vāsara.

  28. Monier-Williams, Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), s.v. vāra.

  29. The Chinese encyclopaedia Cihai (辭海) under the entry for "seven luminaries calendar" (七曜曆, qī yào lì) has: "method of recording days according to the seven luminaries [七曜 qī yào]. China normally observes the following order: Sun, Mon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. Seven days make one week, which is repeated in a cycle. Originated in ancient Babylon (or ancient Egypt according to one theory). Used by the Romans at the time of the 1st century AD, later transmitted to other countries. This method existed in China in the 4th century AD. It was also transmitted to China by Manichaeans in the 8th century AD from the country of Kang (康) in Central Asia" (translation after Bathrobe's Days of the Week in Chinese, Japanese & Vietnamese, plus Mongolian and Buryat (cjvlang.com) /wiki/Cihai

  30. Falk, Michael (2004). "Astronomical names for the days of the week". Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. 93 (1999–06): 122–133. arXiv:astro-ph/0307398. Bibcode:1999JRASC..93..122F. doi:10.1016/j.newast.2003.07.002. S2CID 118954190. /wiki/ArXiv_(identifier)

  31. Gray, 2012. The Languages of Pentecost Island.

  32. Ren is "day". Numbered weekdays are used for Tuesday-Friday and sometimes Monday; the names for Saturday and Sunday come from English.

  33. https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/UnisaOpen/freeOnlineCourse/PDF/Setswana/Learn%20online%20Setswana%20-%20Theme%203.pdf https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/UnisaOpen/freeOnlineCourse/PDF/Setswana/Learn%20online%20Setswana%20-%20Theme%203.pdf

  34. "Days of the Week in Chinese: Three Different Words for 'Week'". Cjvlang. Retrieved 27 October 2016. http://www.cjvlang.com/Dow/dowchin.html

  35. derived from Arabic: ثالث, romanized: ṯāliṯ, lit. 'third' /wiki/Arabic_language

  36. çehar-şenbe (derived from Persian)

  37. penc-şenbih (derived from Persian)

  38. "Swahili days, months, dates". online.fr. Archived from the original on 9 August 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070809075823/http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_Chap24.htm

  39. [1] Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine http://www.istrianet.org/istria/linguistics/istrorumeno/news/05_1000language-month.htm

  40. Astronomy and Basque Language, Henrike Knörr, Oxford VI and SEAC 99 "Astronomy and Cultural Diversity", La Laguna, June 1999. It references Alessandro Bausani, 1982, The prehistoric Basque week of three days: archaeoastronomical notes, The Bulletin of the Center for Archaeoastronomy (Maryland), v. 2, 16–22. http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/fichero_articulo?articulo=26362&orden=59718

  41. See the image in Anthony, Charlotte (22 July 2012). "Rushing to preserve Ladino legacies". Crescent City Jewish News. Retrieved 31 May 2016. The Ladino names are in the right-hand column, written in Hebrew characters. http://www.crescentcityjewishnews.com/rushing-to-preserve-ladino-legacies/

  42. Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amai Eelon Pukok PuYa

  43. Wachetlon Pathup PuYa

  44. Kham Oi Yang Oi Sekning PuYa

  45. Nunglekpam, Premi Devi (25 May 2018). Short Essays on Women and Society: Manipuri Women through the Century. FSP Media Publications. https://books.google.com/books?id=1xBdDwAAQBAJ&q=Meetei+according+to+wangkhemcha+chingtamlen&pg=PT40