月

• Pinyin: yuè
• Hanzi breakdown: 月 = pictograph of a crescent moon; also a radical in body-part characters

Meaning

Month; moon. Used to name calendar months and also means the moon.

One of the most common characters in Chinese. As a time word, it combines with numbers to form month names: 一月 (January), 二月 (February), etc. Also means 'moon' in literary and poetic contexts. Appears as a radical in many body-part characters (肉月旁).

Examples

1. 现在是三月。 It is March now.
2. 我下个月去北京。 I'm going to Beijing next month.
3. 一年有十二个月。 There are twelve months in a year.

Usage Guide

Context: time, calendar, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你的生日是几月？(What month is your birthday?)
• 这个月我很忙。(I am very busy this month.)

Don't Say

• 我在三月份月去旅行。(Redundant — say 我三月去旅行, not 三月份月; use either 三月 or 三月份)

Origin & History

A pictograph of a crescent moon. One of the earliest Chinese characters, found on Shang dynasty oracle bones. The lunar calendar connection led to its use as 'month.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal