日期

• Pinyin: rì qī
• Hanzi breakdown: 日 = pictograph of the sun (day); 期 = 其 (that) + 月 (moon/month), meaning a scheduled period of time

Meaning

Date. The specific day on a calendar.

Refers to a calendar date including year, month, and day. Used when asking about or specifying dates for events, appointments, deadlines, etc. Common in phrases like 出生日期 (date of birth) and 到期日期 (expiry date).

Examples

1. 你知道考试的日期吗？ Do you know the date of the exam?
2. 请写上今天的日期。 Please write down today's date.
3. 我忘了他的生日日期。 I forgot the date of his birthday.

Usage Guide

Context: time, administrative

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 日期定了吗？(Has the date been set?)
• 请告诉我日期。(Please tell me the date.)

Don't Say

• 什么日期今天？(Wrong word order — say 今天是什么日期 or 今天几号, with the question word at the end)

Origin & History

A compound of 日 (day/sun) and 期 (period/scheduled time), together meaning a specific scheduled day.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal