昨天

• Pinyin: zuó tiān
• Hanzi breakdown: 昨 = 日 (sun/day) + 乍 (suddenly, just) — the day just past; 天 = sky, day

Meaning

Yesterday. The day before today.

A basic time word used extremely frequently. Can be placed before or after the subject: 昨天我很忙 or 我昨天很忙 (I was busy yesterday). In Chinese, time words do not require prepositions — 昨天 is used directly without 在.

Examples

1. 昨天我去了超市。 I went to the supermarket yesterday.
2. 你昨天做了什么？ What did you do yesterday?
3. 昨天下雨了。 It rained yesterday.

Usage Guide

Context: time, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 昨天你去哪儿了？(Where did you go yesterday?)
• 昨天的天气很好。(Yesterday's weather was very nice.)

Don't Say

• 在昨天我去了学校。(Don't add 在 before 昨天 — say 昨天我去了学校)

Origin & History

Compound of 昨 (yesterday/past) + 天 (day). 昨 contains 日 (sun/day) + 乍 (suddenly/just now), suggesting a day that has just passed.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal